The Other Side of The Veil
by Juniper James
Summary: Sirius is trapped in a world where things are not always as they seem, Harry must save him, but he can't do it without a little help! SLASH! DracoHarry, SiriusRemus, RonHermione
1. The Ring of Power

Title: The Other Side of the Veil

Author: J. Myst

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**_Rating: Who knows? Who cares?_**

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**_Pairings: Draco/Harry, Ron/Hermione, Sirius/Remus_**

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**_WARNING: ^ Slash, duh!                           ^_**

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**_A/N: In all my Harry Potter stories I use the same OCs, none of them will have 'romantic situations' with the original cast, so bear with me, please?_**

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**_Summary: Sirius is dead, or is he? Draco knows… but what's his game?_**

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**_This Story is Dedicated to all those who like the pairings I've listed above and were as torn up about the fifth books deceased as I was. This is my attempt to solace the aching hearts of a lost slash pairing._**

Chapter One

Through the Rabbit Hole 

      Draco Malfoy lay facedown in his bed at the Malfoy Manor. He was, to say the least, humiliated. His father had been taken away and Draco had just been returned to a normal state after being a slug for the past eight hours.

      He was a little relived that his father wasn't there to witness that disgusting display, he would have gotten a beating worse than the one he had received last year…

      Draco was pretty pissed off at the moment, he didn't even _do_ anything to the damned golden boy and he was attacked from all sides.

      Leave it to Potter to have his whole frickin' fan club attack an innocent bystander when for all they knew he could have just been walking past… yeah right… Draco knew that that wasn't right, he couldn't guarantee that he wouldn't have said anything particularly nasty to Potter. Not to mention a curse or two, but still… really now…

^     ^     ^

Remus Lupin was lying in his bed at this moment as well. It would soon be four o' clock in the morning and he hadn't slept all night.

Not that you could blame him though. He had, after all, just lost his closest friend. He really should have known that it was a bad idea for Sirius to come with them. He had felt 

something inside his gut and he really should have said something… protested, made Sirius stay.

But the real reason he felt so bad about the whole thing, wasn't because Sirius was his only very close friend left, but because he had never got the chance to tell Sirius what he felt towards his schoolmate pal. 

He had always procrastinated the inevitable and told himself, 'Tomorrow, I'll tell him tomorrow.' And now there was no tomorrow… not for Sirius… and he had died without ever knowing the feelings Remus had harbored all these long years…

He had always fooled himself into thinking that Sirius would always be there, even after James was gone, and Peter was gone as well, he'd always fallen back on the fact that 'Padfoot will always be here.' Hell lot of good that did.

He clutched a pillow to his chest and struggled to suppress the anger and frustration he felt. He chose to ignore the fact that he was crying.

^     ^     ^

      Draco was more than pissed and he was even more so when an extremely high-pitched shriek and giggle exploded from downstairs.

      Muffling his groans he stood and made his way to the door. More laughter from down below.

      Draco dragged himself down the dense corridor and down the stairs into the 'visitor' section of the manor where it appeared his mother was having a 'small' get-together. Small as in only about 30-35 people.

      Draco winced when he saw that Pansy was there. He carefully avoided her and approached his mother. "Mother, what's going on?"

      Narcissa looked down at him with disapproval. "You poor boy, does no one tell you anything? Sirius Black is dead! He's dead and that means the Dark Lord is rising to power even more-so, that and I being the next heir in line get possession of that god-awful house! With a little touching up and house-elves it could be a second home! Isn't that wonderful?"

      Draco glared at her, "Yeah, just splendid." Draco was sick of living up to the charade. He had voiced quite loudly that he never wanted to be a Death-Eater when he was very young, as a result, he got the Cruciatus curse and a month locked in a cell under the Malfoy Manor. He decided not to voice his opinion in the presence of those people again.

      Even worse was at school, with the other kids always watching him and expecting so much from him because he was after all the-son-of-Lucius-Malfoy. He really had no choice but to act as though he were a Death-Eater in training and bugging Potter was a plus and was just plain fun.

      As he grew older and the more sure he grew that he wanted to be nothing like his father, and a good thing to as the stupid old fool had gotten himself caught by the Ministry of Magic.

      "I'll be in my room." Draco said, excusing himself from the room and motioned for Pansy to come into the un-crowded hall with him. There he asked her to tell him everything about the death of Sirius Black.

      "Oh it was great," The pug-faced girl said gleefully. "Belletrix LaStrange, you know the one who tortured the Longbottoms into insanity?"

      "Yes, yes, get on with it."

      "Well anyway, she cursed him and he fell behind the veil in the room of death! Isn't it funny?"

      "But I thought no one knew for sure what happens when you fall behind that curtain, how can you be sure he's dead?"

      "Well what else is there?"

      "Hm, thanks, bye." Draco hurried on his up the stairs and ignoring Pansy's pleas for him to stay or dance with her or something.

^     ^     ^

      Harry stared out his window at the Dursley's, they had been actually 'civil' to him, since he'd arrived home, he guessed they had taken Moody's words to heart. Good.

      Yet, he couldn't quite shake the feeling that something was about to happen... something... big.

^     ^     ^

Draco was flipping through book after book with a fury of research that could rival Hermione's. 

He finally found what he was looking for.

"The veil of death," He read out loud to himself. "Is said to be the resting place of the long lost ring of power, (see above picture)"

Draco looked at the picture of this so-called ring of power. It was beautiful. It was a green stone and looked extremely expensive. Draco let out a low breath as he looked at it and then continued reading.

"The wizard William Harrison the Second, in the fourteenth century tossed it into the black veil of death and it disappeared forever. No one knows what is behind this mysterious veil but it is rumored to be something extraordinary."

Draco frowned, that's where it ended. "That's it? Oh yeah, that's a big help." He said glaring at the book; this was the only book in the entire Malfoy Library with anything on this 'Ring of Power' and 'Veil of Death'. 

He was reading through it again when he heard someone come in and he looked up. There was no one there. Frowning he surveyed his surroundings, everything seemed fine, except that he knew there had to be someone in here. Doors just don't fling open by themselves and they didn't have any ghosts on campus.

"Who's there?" He called out, and listed for an answer. One did not come.

Putting down his book, he carefully walked up and down the aisles of books; their library was much, much larger than that of Hogwarts.

"I know you're in here. Pansy? Goyle? Mother?" Draco called as he continued to hunt through the shelves.

Suddenly a girl about his age jumped out from behind a bookcase. "Boo!" She said and then started laughing, Draco was not amused.

"Who the hell are you?" He asked glaring at her.

She had straight black hair and green eyes, she was wearing a black and silver cocktail gown and he figured she was from the party.

"You are not allowed in here. What's your name?"

The girl smiled at him, "I'm Spade Silver, and you're Draco. I'm here to talk to you about something."

Draco rolled his eyes, if his mother was trying to set him up again he was going to fucking scream. That would be the fiftieth time this week.

"I'm not interested." He said and tried to push past her but she grabbed his arm with an amazing amount of strength.  "I need you to listen," she said.

"You're going to do looking for the Ring of Power. Aren't you?" She asked and Draco's eyes went wide. "How the hell did you know that?"

The girl smiled again and released his arm. "I just do, ok? Now, I should probably tell you that you need to take someone with you, or else you'll most likely die."

Draco narrowed his eyes at her. "Oh yeah? And what makes you think that?"

Spade sighed. "I just know, alright. Just like I knew you were going. Listen, you have to find someone with the same determination as you to accompany you. A friend perhaps?"

Draco snorted. "The so-called 'friends' I have are not capable of such a task."

"Then you will have to find someone."

"Oh yeah? Like who?"

Spade Silver grinned, "Harry Potter."

Draco looked at her as if she had just said that Snape was his father. "You're kidding right?" He said horrified.

"I'm afraid not, he's the only one on this side of the world who would go to just bout any lengths to get what he wants, just like you."

"And what does he want to bad?"

"His godfather of course."

"Oh yes, I'd forgotten..." Draco thought this over for a moment, he needed someone who could hold there own and would go through anything to get to their destination, but still... this was Potter they were talking about! They were hardly school chums. Was a ring all that important? Would he go crawling to Potter over a stupid ring? 

A ring that he could use to defy his father with. He could kill that bastard Voldemort and make his precious Death-Eaters beg for mercy. He could anything he wanted... but was that all worth teaming up with Potter? Acting 'civil' towards Potter? Getting along and not pounding his head in? ...  Of course it was!  What the hell, he could make Potter pound his **own** head in!

"Alright," he said. "I'll do it." 

Spade rubbed her hands together. "Good! Now hold still, I just have to do one thing..."

Draco glared suspiciously at her but allowed her to do as she will.

She placed her hands on either side of his forehead and muttered a spell of some sort. In the next instant Draco felt a searing pain shot through his skull and enter his brain. He let out an ear-splitting scream and collapsed on the floor. Clutching his head in agony he wondered if this was a screwed up version on the Cruciatus Curse. The pain stopped soon after but he was left to catch his breath and clear his head. And once he had done that, Spade Silver, was gone.

^     ^     ^

      Harry felt a shot of pain rush through his head and he clamped a hand to his forehead, it wasn't his scar, of that he was certain.

      Aunt Petunia entered his room then and shot him a nasty look. "Write to those freak friends of yours," She said with a sneer. "I don't want them anywhere near my house."

      Harry nodded and she left. He obediently wrote a quick, short letter to the order and sent it along with Hedwig.

      Moments later another owl appeared and it had a letter addressed to him, he frowned, could they replied that quickly?

      He opened it; there was no signature, only the words, "Fireplace, Midnight."

      He looked at it for a while, trying to decipher the handwriting, he knew he had seen it before, but he couldn't put a finger on it.

~     ~     ~

At midnight that night, Harry made his way down to the fireplace and waited.

Harry wasn't sure what he expecting as he sat there to meet the writer of that mysterious letter, Lupin, Ron? Hermione or Dumbledore? Any one of his other teachers? But who did appear in the fireplace that night was the last person on earth Harry had expected.

"Malfoy!?"

"Potter." Draco snarled. He wasn't too happy to be here. In a Muggle house, talking to Harry Potter of all people.

"You wrote that letter?"

"Very clever of you, Potter. That would be why I am here, wouldn't you say?"

Harry glared, "What do you want."

Draco stepped out from the fireplace and Harry instinctively stood up to defend himself if he had too.

"Relax, Potter I have to talk to you about something."

Harry was, as you could imagine, very suspicious about this.

"About what?" He asked, making sure to stay a save distance away from Draco incase he tried something; he didn't have his wand on him at the moment.

"About your Godfather." Draco stated.

Harry then became _very_ suspicious. "You don't say anything about him or I'll—" He couldn't believe that Malfoy had come all this way to taunt him! The nerve! Didn't he have a life!?

"Hey, will you shut up and listen?!" Draco said and sighed furiously.

"I won't listen to it." Harry said and was turning to go.

"He's still alive!" Draco called out before Harry had got very far.

Harry stopped in his tracks. "What did you say?"

Draco growled under his breath, "Are you deaf? I said that Sirius Black is still alive."

Harry looked at him intently. "How would you know."

Draco tossed a heavy book at him and Harry caught it. "I've been doing some research. He isn't necessarily dead, according to page 1489." Draco said and examined his hair.

"I don't trust you." Harry stated and this was fair.

"Yeah, I figured you wouldn't, so I thought that we'd bring it to your Mudblood friend and see what she thinks."

"Don't call her that." Harry said. He stared at the book. Could it really be true?

"Why are you doing this?" Harry asked and Draco stared at the uninteresting ceiling. "I have my reasons, ok?"

Harry glared. "You're leading me into a trap, aren't you!? You're trying to deliver me to Voldemort aren't you!?"

Draco looked utterly appalled. "I have nothing to go with those fucktards!" He said loudly, clearly insulted.

Harry blinked, "What? Sorry, I find that hard to believe."

"Yeah well you would," Draco spat. "For your information," Draco resumed. "I've never been a member of the Death-Eater club and I've never planned to be so."

"But you... you act just like—"

Draco waved his finger at him. "Nah-uh, I'm a very good actor Potter, looks can be deceiving. Snape's an ex-Death-eater... wonder why we get along so well? We both hate the damn fool."

Harry frowned, how could he trust Malfoy?

Draco was growing impatient. "Do you want to save your Godfather or not?" Draco asked growing angry now.

"I—I still don't trust you." Harry said, he felt strangely less depressed at this sudden and unexpected burst of news, even if it was coming from Malfoy.

"Like I said, we'll go to Granger's. Will that cure your doubts?"

"I don't know... why are you doing this again?"

"I said before, Potter. I have my reasons. I just need some help and black-mailing you with your Godfather seemed ideal."

"Couldn't just say please and thank you, hm?" Harry said sarcastically.

"It's not my style." Draco smirked.

Harry walked over to Draco again. "Alright," He said. "I still don't know what to think but I'll go to Hermione's with you."

"Good." Draco said, he was breaking him down.

Draco handed him some floo powder. Harry looked at him as if he were insane. "I am not going by floo powder." Harry said.

Draco frowned. "Why not? Scared?"

"No! How do I know that you aren't going to trick me and we'll end up in some Death-Eater camp?"

"I told you! I have nothing to do with them!"

"Then why the feigned support?" 

"What would _you_ do if they screamed Crucio at you whenever you didn't?" Draco glared; he never saw it this hard in convincing Potter.

Harry gave him a wary gaze.

"Then how do you purpose we get there then?" Draco asked annoyed. 

"Uh... we'll fly." He said, brightening, he really never ever thought that one day he'd be considering working with Draco in anything besides forced Potions work, but the loss of Sirius had been very hard on him and if he could just have one sliver of hope, even if it was from a school bully, be was willing to hold onto anything he could get.

"Fly? I don't have my broom with me." Draco said.

Harry smirked. "Mine's upstairs. I'll go get it."

Draco frowned, "But what about me?"

"I guess we'll just have to share."

Harry never saw Draco's eyes so big. "You're kidding right?" He said, staring at Potter as if he'd just said he was actually a girl, although that would explain a lot...

Harry's smirk grew. "Not scared are you, Malfoy?"

"Of course not!" He said in a huff and Harry ran up to get his broom...

Moments later Harry was trying to convince a paranoid Malfoy to just trust him for once and get on the broom.

"Malfoy, just get on the frickin' broom!"

"How do I know that you won't send me to my death from ten thousand miles in the air?!"

Harry gave an exasperated sigh. "If anyone should be worried about falling it should be me! I'm the Gryffindor remember?"

Draco glared at him. "Slytherins wouldn't do something to stupid." He said.

Harry snorted. "Yeah right."

Draco crossed his arm, which was sort of hard considering the big book in his arms.

"How am I supposed to hold the book."

"I don't know," Harry said, becoming annoyed. "Just hold it ok? Now get on or you can go jumping through Death Curtains on your own."

Draco scowled and got on the broom.

As they took off, Draco panicked and placed the book in between him and Harry, it was pretty save from falling there, considering the death grip he had around Harry's waist.


	2. The Veil

The Other Side of the Veil Warning: This program contains scenes of violence and coarse language. [Not to mention slash] Viewer discretion is advised. 

**_Chapter Two – The Veil of Death_**

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"We're almost there, ok?" Harry said, Hermione's area was in view. 

Draco didn't answer, he had his eyes closed tight and he was thinking of a way to pull Potter down with him if he was going to fall.

Finally they arrived at the Granger's home and Harry desperately tried to figure out which window was hers.

He finally resorted to looking through each window until he found it.

Finally he caught sight of the sleeping Hermione and gently tapped on the window. She turned over in her sleep and Harry rapped a little louder.

"Geezus," Draco said pushing Harry to the side a little bit. Then he banged on the window with his fist. "Granger! Wake up!"

Hermione jumped and startled made he way to the window.

She struggled with opening it for a moment and when she did she looked relived when she saw Harry.

"Oh Harry it's you... what's--" Then she noticed Malfoy. "What is _he_ doing here?"

Draco scoffed. 

"Hermione, we need to talk to you, can we come in?" Harry said, ignoring Draco.

Hermione sent a doubtful look at Malfoy. Harry was having trouble keeping the broom steady; he was tired and a little cranky. "Hermione, please?"

Hermione sighed in defeat, "Oh alright, but be quiet!"

Once they were all inside, Harry explained what Draco had told him and handed the heavy book to her. 

She flipped through it and found the page. Once she was doing reading all about it, she looked up at Harry.

"Harry can I talk to you alone for a second?" She said and pulled him out into the hall.

"What is it?" Harry asked.

"Harry, do you really believe what Malfoy says?" She asked. She looked a little worried.

Harry sighed and looked at the ceiling for a moment, thinking, and then he returned his attention back to his friend. "Hermione, I know Sirius is still alive, I can just feel it. I don't know the truth about that veil but I have to know... you understand don't you?"

Hermione was quiet for a moment and then nodded. "Well what he said about not 'necessarily dead' is true enough, I mean just because people disappear doesn't mean their deceased, right?"

"Right!"

"But I don't know, Harry. It's really shady... and this is Malfoy we're talking about. Even if he isn't a Death-Eater he could be planning something."

Harry nodded, "I know."

When Hermione and Harry came back into the bedroom, Draco was flipping through a Muggle textbook he'd found. 

"So?" Draco said without looking up. 

Harry crossed his arms. "We still don't know if we can trust you."

Draco took off his shirt. Harry looked horrified at him. "What are you doing?"

"There, see? No Dark Mark, no bloody Dark Lord signatures. You know the Dark Lord marks all who work for him to ensure no one double-crosses him."

Hermione looked closer at him. "Well how do we know it's not on another part of your body?"

Draco looked aghast. "I am _not_taking off my pants!"

Hermione smirked. "Ok, so you're not a Death Eater... yet, but I think I know what you're up to."

She picked up his book and handed it to him, it was open on the page. "You're after the 'ring of power' aren't you?" She asked.

Draco smirked. "Very good Granger."

Hermione crossed her arms. "And what are you going to do with it?"

"Deliver it to the dark lord of course." He said. And was angry to see that they believe him! "I'm not! I want it to –to do something… okay?"

They both still looked skeptical. "Look," Draco said. He never wanted them to know this. "My father's a bastard, it's only a matter of time before he comes back and the first person he's going to take out his anger on will be me! I don't give a fuck if you believe me or not but I'm your only way into the Ministry. You help me get what I want and I'll help you save your Godfather, ok?"

Hermione didn't seem to have an argument for this.

Harry somehow seemed to believe all this. "Ok then," He said and looked at Hermione. "Hermione?"

Hermione looked doubtful for a moment. "I still don't think this is wise, but fine. What's the plan?"

Draco seemed to lighten up considerably. "I know how to get in and out of the Ministry undetected. Well get in and go from there, that simple."

"But," Hermione spoke up. "Harry shouldn't we tell the Order or somebody? What if something happens?"

Harry's expression seemed to agree.

"No!" Draco said suddenly. "No one can know, if someone finds out they'll try to stop us!"

This seemed to make him even more suspicious, what if he really was trying to turn them in to Voldemort?

Draco seemed to realize this. "Ok then, what stopped you from going in after him in the first place?" 

"...Lupin."

"Exactly, don't you think the same thing might happen?"

Harry nodded and Hermione looked desperate. "But I'm sure if we showed them and told them just what you told me they'd..."

Harry shook his head. "No, Hermione, Malfoy's right. They'd try and stop us. They'd most likely make us stay behind and they themselves would go if they decided so. I want to do this myself." 

Hermione didn't argue, she was really tired and although worried, she really wanted to go to bed.

"Ok fine, we'll be reckless." She said huffily and Harry hugged her. 

"Ok let's go."

"Wait, how are we all going to get there?" Draco asked. "We can't all fit on that broom."

They all thought about this and then Hermione piped up, "Well were are we going exactly?"

"Knockturn Alley." Draco said at once and Hermione looked surprised.

Draco rolled his eyes, "Well what did you think? The private passageway used by my father's people is behind a store called, Malevolence. Run by a nice lady actually..."

"Ok then, why don't we just use Floo to get there?"

Draco scowled,  "They're still watching the fireplaces you know."

"Oh, of course." Hermione said.

"Why doesn't Harry just dropped me off there first? Then he can come back for you and we can get into the Ministry from there?" Draco said.

Harry seemed to want to go right away. "Ok, that's good, now let's go."

Harry dropped Draco off at the said store first and while he waited for the other two to return he decided he should probably get some stuff.

He entered the store Malevolence.

"Draco! How nice of you to stop by!" Said an old woman from behind the counter; she appeared to have been really, really pretty in her day.

"Hullo Jade, listen..."

Harry and Hermione arrived in Knockturn alley and were careful to avoid any of the bystanders. 

"Come on." Harry said taking her hand and pulling her through the crowd. 

"Harry I don't like this place, where's Malfoy?"

"I don't know... he said he'd wait for us there. Um... ok... I think he went this way..."

Ten minutes later they had found the place and they looked in one of the windows. The store apparently sold things like shrinking head potions and Harry thought he saw a broken TV set.

Draco noticed them and quickly shrunk the package Jade had given him.

"Thanks," He said and winked at her and hurried his way out of the store.

"Ok, are we ready?" He asked the two Gryffindors outside and then led the way into Malevolence's backyard.

"Through there." Draco said and pointed to a hole that was covered with a cloth.

"But, what about provisions and things?" Hermione asked. A little nervous.

"I've taken care of it," Draco said, pulling the cloth up to reveal the hole to be able to fit two grown men at the same time. "Ok hurry before someone sees." He said and Harry went first.

"Just keep going straight." Draco called to him and Harry did.

This tunnel much reminded Harry of the ones in the Chamber of Secrets. Except this time there was nothing chasing him.

He could hear Hermione right behind him and guessed that Draco would be behind her.

Well after what felt like hours, they finally emerged into a grassy field. "What—where are we?" Harry asked, helping Hermione out of the tunnel they'd crawled through.

"A room," Draco answered. "Across from the Department of Mysteries."

This made sense to Harry. In all the dreams he'd had during the school year, he'd always gone straight to get to the Department of Mysteries... so this was how the Death Eaters had done it.

Draco opened the door with a weird one-worded spell and they made their way into the Department of Mysteries.

"Do we know which one of the doors is the one we need?" Hermione asked quietly.

"This one." Draco said after the room had stopped spinning, "On the first spin it's always this one."

They opened the door and sure enough it was.

Harry felt a sudden twinge in his stomach as he made his way down into the pit to the archway that had swallowed Sirius. He never thought he'd be in here again, not after what happened. But things are different this time, he told himself, they were going to save Sirius.

"Well here we are." Draco said. 

"Who goes in first?" Harry asked and looked at Draco.

"I will," Draco volunteer, knowing they'd suspect him if he'd made Harry go first.

Harry turned to Hermione. "Don't worry about us, ok?"

Hermione looked scared and teary eyed, "Oh Harry, please, please be careful."

Harry smiled. "I will." He handed her his broom. "Fly to the Burrow and tell Ron, ok?" You two are the only ones who will know, so if something happens you can tell someone, ok?"

Hermione nodded and hugged him. "Oh! I almost forgot!" She pulled something out of her pocket and handed it to Harry.

Harry looked down at it. It was a pendant with an arrow on it.

"It's like a walkie-talkie." Hermione said. "I enchanted it so we can talk to each other, if you're in trouble, call, ok?"

Harry smiled at her. "You're a genius, Herm."

She smiled back.

"Later, Granger." Draco said and disappeared through the curtain.

"Take care, bye." Harry said and waved at her before he too disappeared behind the veil.


	3. Another World

The other side of the veil Chapter Three

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--Another World—

**_A/N to Katie –_**_ You are absolutely right, my mistake, but if you did find out that he was your father and you realized that you'd spent your entire life with the wrong family (which you hate) wouldn't that horrify you?_

Draco landed on the ground with an audible thud. He groaned and hoisted himself up from the earth. He shook his head from side to side and tried to clear his vision as he took in the sights that were offered to him...

The sky was a pastel plum and the sun was a very bright white, causing Draco to wince as his eyes adjusted to the sudden change in light. The grass was the color the sky should have been, a light sky blue. He stared around in total awe of it all, never before had he seen anything so spectacular. 

This awe was cut short however by Harry falling from the sky and landing on top of him.

"OW! What the hell, Potter get off me!" Draco growled shoving Harry off him to the ground.

Harry wasn't paying any attention; his awareness was of the world around him. "Wow..." He breathed, eyes wide as he surveyed the place around him. 

After a moment, Draco hit him in the shoulder. "Yeah ok, quit gawking, he need to figure out where we're going."

Harry nodded and resentfully turned his attention to Draco. "Alright, where do we go?"

Draco glared at him, "How am I suppose to know?"

Harry shrugged and started walking away, towards the white sun and what appeared to be the outskirts of a city of some sort.

"Hey!" Draco called after him. "Where are you going?"

"I don't know!" Harry called back at him. "But it's better then standing around in nowhere all day, isn't it?"

Draco glared at his back and increased his stride to catch up.

When they entered the city, they were immediately the center of attention. Everywhere they looked people were staring at them, they didn't appear any different then those around them, and yet they were oddly aware that the people here knew they weren't from this plain.

"What are they staring at?" Draco asked, lowering his voice so that only Harry could hear.

"I don't know, we're strangers... I guess... just- be quiet okay?" He replied and approached one of the bystanders.

"Excuse me, can you help us? We're looking for—" But the man just turned and walked away.

"Yeah, thanks for nothing!" Draco yelled after him and Harry elbowed him in the ribs.

"Be quiet I said." Harry said glaring at his 'companion', who obviously wasn't used to being ignored.

"Where are you from?" Came a voice from behind them and both boys turned to face the speaker. She was an older woman with a sullen face and a husky voice.

"Um—I'm not sure exactly..." Harry said timidly and truthfully.

"You don't know where you are from?" Said the woman a little unbelievingly.

"Well… earth... I suppose..."

The woman frowned. "Well you are still on earth, young one. What's your name?"

"Um... Harry Potter..."

The woman looked at him with mild interest. "Harry Potter? You must be from the third dimension. This is the sixth. Harry Potter... what a strange name. Why are you here?"

Harry sent a sidelong glance at Draco who evidently wasn't going to say anything and answered the woman. "We're looking for someone... by the name of Sirius Black... he's sort of... um... tall... and long black hair... and—"

The woman held up her hand for silence. "Yes, yes Child, I know of who you speak. Sirius Black is from your dimension?"

Harry nodded eagerly. He's heart was beating so fast he wondered if the others could hear it. Sirius was alive! He was alive and well by the sounds of it! He'd never felt this happy before, it was like the part of him that had went missing was suddenly back in place and nothing could break it again!

The woman however, looked quite serious. "Well I should say, you have a long journey ahead of you."

Harry blinked. "Pardon?"

The woman looked at him intently, as if studying his mind. "He is at the castle on Opal hill. You know how to get there. Don't you?"

Harry shook his head, his spirit was suddenly dampening again, and he had hoped Sirius was here and that he would be able to see him right now. No such luck.

The woman sighed. "Come with me."

Draco and Harry did.

The woman led them through many streets and people were still staring at them. Harry noticed for the first time that they dressed in strange fashions. Much like gypsies he'd seen in movies. The woman who was leading them was wearing a blue shawl over he entire body and had many earrings in one ear and then one large one in the other. 

The woman finally arrived in front of a large hut and ushered them inside, she scanned the street to assure that no one was watching them and then she instructed them to sit down.

"We have been waiting for people such as yourself... to bring Lupis from his rein." She said, lighting a candle and illuminating the room.

Harry frowned. "I beg your pardon?" Draco looked equally perplexed.

The woman looked up at them, finished lighting her candles. "Remellus Lupis. The king of this dimension," She explained. "A selfish man, really. We, the people, have been waiting for ones such as yourselves, to aid us in our movement for freedom. He keeps us starving, so we have no choice but to obey him. He has his watchers on our every mood so there is nothing we do that he does not know about. Except, of course, our plans to overthrow him." When he said this, she lowered he voice as if afraid someone might be listening from outside the walls.

"Um—" Draco finally spoke up. "We're only here to get Black, we aren't here to be some sort of heroes…"

The woman smiled sadly and shook her head. "He is holding your friend captive. He will not release him without a fight. You seem to have fallen into the roles of redeemer weather you have intended it or not."

Draco frowned. "Well in that case, Potter is quite good at being a hero anyway." He said and leaned back on his chair and crossed his arms.

Harry glared at him. "How do we get to this Opal hill?" He asked.

The woman had lit another candle and was gazing into a crystal ball. Harry was reminded of Divination class.

"As I have said before, this will be no easy task. No one is allowed past the guards of Opal hill without the six medallions of the gods." As she said this, six medallions glimmered into view in her crystal ball. Harry and Draco stared at them. They were—

"You will travel to each part of this world and collect them, passing the tests that will be put before you will ensure your success, failure, however, will traumatize your cause." Lightning flashed in the ball, causing both boys to jump a little.

"I'm sure we can do it." Harry said and withdrew his wand. The woman raised her eyebrows. "I'm afraid," She said. "That those will do you little good here. The only thing that will aid you in this quest will be your own mind and skill." She said tapping the side of her head with a long finger. 

"What?" Draco said, looking a little worried now. "No wands?"

The woman smiled and shook her head, amused. "I never said any wands what-so-ever. Just that, they will do you little good. The dangers here are hardly magic related and a lot of the spells I'm sure you used back where you are from, will not work here. Your best bet is to figure out a way to go about this journey without your use of magic."

Harry nodded slowly. "So there's not much magic here?" He inquired.

The woman nodded. Then she reached behind her and pulled out a square board and handed it to him.

"This is where you will put each medallion once you've collected it. Once you've obtained them all you must make your way to the bottom of Opal hill. There you will give the medallions and this board to a guard who will allow you entrance and then you will reach the castle." She said and Draco and Harry stared at the medallion board. 

There where six circles with a different animal in each circle. There was a badger, raven, snake, lion, dragon, and a phoenix. 

"How appropriate." Draco muttered and Harry couldn't stop a small smile.

"How do you know I'm going to help him?" Draco asked, pointing at Harry. "Sirius Black is someone I certainly could care less about." Harry leered at him but he ignored him.

The woman smiled and said, "Simple. Remellus Lupis is also the keeper of the Ring of Power. If you won't do it for the Black man, you will do it for the ring. Am I right?"

Draco said nothing.

"You will rest now," The woman said and pointed towards a curtain of beads, behind which, Harry could see were four beds. "Tomorrow you will begin your quest." Then she stood and walked towards the doors leading to outside. Before she left, she turned towards them and said in a low voice, "You are the ones who will deliver us from evil, I see that now, but keep in mind... the biggest obstacle you will face will be each other." And then she was gone.

^          ^          ^

"HE WHAT!?!" Ron hollered. His face was red and in his eyes flashed something much akin to fire. "Hermione! I can't _believe_ you let them go like that!"

Hermione was humbled. "Well... they were very convincing..." She said quietly. She knew Ron would take this badly, but how badly she did not know until now.

"What if something happens!? What if it really was just a ploy for Malfoy to deliver Harry right into You-know-who's hands!?" 

"I don't think that's it," Hermione said softly. "I've never seen Harry that excited before, he told me that he knew Sirius was alive, and how could they be transported to Voldemort if everyone else is so afraid of what's behind that curtain?" She said. 

Ron was still livid. Hermione sighed and pulled the arrow pendant from her pocket. She handed it to him.

"Talk to it," She instructed and Ron gave her a distrustful look. "Just do it." She said.

Ron lowered his lips to the pendant and said, "Hello?"

There was nothing. "Hermione, what is this? –" 

Then there was an interruption. "Ron?" Harry voice emitted from the pendant and Ron was ecstatic. "Harry! Harry are you all right? Where are you? What's Malfoy doing? How the hell could you take off with him and--!!"

"Ron!" Harry cut him off. "I'm fine, Malfoy and I are in this really strange house right now. Hey! Did you know there are different dimensions? You are in the third and I'm here in the sixth! Weird huh? Ron, Hermione, Sirius is alive!"

And Harry relayed all that had happened since his arriving in this strange new world. Hermione and Ron listened avidly.

"So I have no idea when I'll be back." Harry said, finished with telling his story.

"You'll be careful, won't you?" Hermione asked and Harry sighed. "Yes, I promise, Hermione. We'll be fine."

"What about, Malfoy? If he does something to you, I'll—" Ron was saying but then Malfoy's voice cut through.

"Breath Weasley, I won't murder your Golden Boy, but I might crush this stupid pendant if you lot don't let me get some sleep!"

"I better go," Harry said. "We have a long journey ahead of us."

"Of course," Hermione said. "Take care Harry and contact us if anything happens, alright?" 

"I will. Bye."

"Bye."

Ron sat there for a long while, staring at the pendant in his hand.

"There, you see?" Hermione's voice cut across his thinking. "I'm sure they'll be fine. Nothing bad so far, right?"

Ron nodded slowly. "But... but..."

Hermione smiled sadly and sat down beside him. "I know. I know." She said and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "Let's just wait for them though, ok? Trust him. Everything's going to go along just fine."

The sun was coming up... and their world was covered in sparkling golden gleams. They would wait because at the moment, that was all they could do.


	4. Journey Begin

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE VEIL

Mwahaha, I'm so glad people catch on so quickly, but I daresay it was pretty obvious. Thanks to my dear sister for coming up with the name, 'Remellus', ain't she strange?

Hee, and thanks to **hecate-19** for making me laugh with the 'concubine' comment that made my day. ^_~  :P

A/N: I will be introducing OCs soon, because it's quite impossible to write this kind of a story without a few OCs and make that a couple of OOC things too ^_~ Am I right? Of course you already know Remellus but he hardly counts, since… well… if you haven't figured it out yet… Well don't get all panicky about it because they're the same OCs I use for all my stories of HP and this is hardly a Mary-Sue in any case. So just enjoy, ok? Thanks loyalties. 

So you can be prepared, the 'important' OCs to look for are:  
Star Clubs, Diamond Winters, Aster Straeh, Spade Silver, & Sapphire Dele.   
After this chapter I'm sure you'll understand, just what they are...

Thanks again, and enjoy! 

**_Journey Begin!_**

Hermione tapped Ron on the shoulder and thrust the wizarding paper into his hands.

The Daily Profit read as follows: _Malfoy Heir, Draco, son of Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy has been reported missing this morning. There was no trace and no signature magic has been used aiding in locating the boy. It is suspected that he has run away. "I don't know why he would!" Pansy, a school friend told reporters. "His life was perfect, he had no reason to run away! I bet he was kidnapped!"_

"Wish that was the case." Ron said, putting the paper down beside him and returning to his breakfast.

"Do your parents know you're here?" Molly Weasley asked Hermione. 

"I left them a note." Hermione replied.

"I'm disappointed in you," Molly continued. "Who knows how dangerous it is out there! You could have been in great trouble!"

"I know, I'm sorry, it won't happen again." Hermione answered.

"I should say so." Mrs. Weasley said continuing her work.

Ron and Hermione shared a look. What would she say if she found out about Harry?

~~

"How do you know this is the right way? I'll bet you got us lost already! We're probably years away from that first medallion, why the hell did you give your broom to Granger? We need it more than she does!"

Harry's head was spinning, why wouldn't he just shut up?

"Be quiet Malfoy or we'll never get there."

Harry was looking down at a strange compass the woman had given them before they had left. It was supposed to point them in the direction of the closest medallion and then the second and so on, but it kept changing its mind and spinning around in circles. It was hardly _his_ fault if they got lost.

"I mean," Malfoy continued. "She could have just walked, right? We're the ones who have to travel across a whole world to get some stupid medallions just so we can get into a castle and—"

"Will you just stop talking!? It's too late now so drop it already!"

How was he expected to put up with this for so long? He'd go insane! The boy was the most annoying person he'd ever met! 

"Don't tell me what to do," Draco was saying and Harry was trying desperately to block him out. 

"Look, it's stopped spinning," Harry commented gazing at the metal contraption in his hand. "It's pointing west."

"So?"

"So we go west."

"How far?"

"I don't know, just stop asking questions. We'll know when we get there."

Draco huffed but followed Harry to the west.

~~

Remus Lupin awoke to yet another dreamless state and was entirely exhausted. How was it possible to sleep in so late and still be so tired? It was after noon now.

He slid to the side of his bed and messaged his temples with his fingertips. This was not good. Not good at all, but he couldn't clear his mind and he couldn't concentrate for long on anything.

He got up and made a cup of coffee, but threw it out when he mistook salt for sugar.

He decided to go back to sleep instead, or at least try and sleep.

It didn't take long for sleep to come with the sleeping potion he had been taking for a while now, since sleep was impossible without it.

This time though was different. Instead of the gray and misty shadows that lurked behind his eyelids, he dreamed... he dreamed of castles and blue grass... and Sirius...

~~

They had been walking for two hours now and there was still no sign of anything up ahead. It was plain all around; the only solace they had in knowing that they were headed in the right direction was the dysfunctional compass in Harry's hand.

He'd passed it to Draco a few times because he was thinking the piece of metal was going to burn a hole through his hand, but every time Draco had it, it started spinning again and Harry had to take it back.

"That things faulty, it's probably leading us to our deaths. Though I can't say I'd care if it was you, but I'm much too handsome and young to die."

Harry rolled his eyes, Draco hadn't let up one bit with his consistent whining and attempts to start an argument, but Harry hadn't given in though. He was on a mission and he'd be damned if he fell to Draco Malfoy's level.

Harry hadn't said one thing to Malfoy since they started walking towards their unknown fate and Draco didn't seem to mind, in fact he appeared to prefer it this way. He could say anything he wanted and Harry wasn't doing anything about it.

It was about another forty-five minutes when Harry noticed the change in the weather, the sky was being filled with dark clouds and the wind was picking up.

"I think it's going to rain." Harry commented looking skyward.

"Well of course it's going to rain, you stupid, anyone could tell that and don't talk to me, I'm through talking to you."

Harry ignored him. Draco had figured out Harry wasn't listening to him a while ago and he had not taken it well. Malfoy was such a child sometimes.

"Whatever, Malfoy." Harry said and just kept walking.

It was another ten minutes when Harry thought he saw rain in the distance, hurtling towards the ground up ahead.

"It's going to hit us." He said. They were now walking through a rich valley with lots of huge boulders and caves. 

"Great," Drawled Malfoy sarcastically. "These robes are expensive dammit."

Harry was frowning in concentration at the 'rain' up ahead. It wasn't acting like any rain he'd seen before. Whenever it hit a tree, bark flew. 

As the rain grew closer Harry's gut instinct twinged... something wasn't right here... 

"Malfoy! Run towards that cave!" Harry yelled out and shoved Draco in the cave's direction as thousands upon thousands of needles descended upon them.

~~

"Do you think we should try and talk to him?" Ron asked, fingering the arrow pendant.

"Not yet," Hermione said. "Not right now, they might be really busy, by the sounds of it, they have a really extreme journey ahead of them."

"I guess," Ron replied. "But what if Malfoy like, murdered him in his sleep?"

"Ron, stop being silly. I'm sure wherever they are, they're fine for right now. They'll contact us if it's really important."

"Ok..."

~~

Remus awoke with a start, he'd dreamt he's been stabbed thousands of times in a rain storm... he shook his head to clear the images from his head and decided to go work on something... he should probably try and keep busy for the time being...

~~

"What the hell kind of rain was that?" Draco asked glaring at the world outside the cave and carefully taking off his shirt. Wincing as needles lodged in his skin came with it.

"I don't know." Harry said, pulling tiny steel needles out of his arm.

"That was totally uncalled for, this world is so stupid." Draco growled, needles puncturing his precious, flawless skin.

"Suck it up," Harry said. "Stop being such a baby, you've done nothing but whine since we left."

"Well what do you suggest I do, Potter? We can't all be fearless leaders like you."

"Well you could _shut up_ for starters." Harry growled back.

Draco didn't reply, instead busied himself in getting the needles out of his legs.

Harry shook his head and needles flew out, he winced and pulled one out from the back of his neck.

It was thirty-two minutes exactly when the 'rain of pain' ended. The white sun came back out and they were clear to continue their journey, but they weren't quite ready yet.

"I don't want to go back out there," Draco said, trying to reach the needles in the middle of his back. "What's next? Hippogriff snow?"

"Like we have a choice." Harry stated. He was watching Draco, amused; the boy was totally missing the right place. 

"Here, just let me." Harry said and pulled a particularly long needle from the pale boy's back.

"Ouch!" Draco cried and jumped away from him. 

"Don't be a wimp," Harry said. "Just hold still."

And about another half-an-hour, both boys were 'needle-free'.

"Now we'll never talk about this again," Draco said, pulling his shirt back on. "Agreed?"

"Yeah, sure. Can we go now?" Harry asked. 

They exited their safe cavern and entered back into the dangerous world. 

They continued heading west for a long, long time. It was an hour past sunset when they finally noticed a large tower, penetrating the clouds up ahead.

"I think that's it!" Harry called out, increasing his stride and forcing Draco to do the same.

"If we're in the wrong place, Potter, I'm going to kill you." Was Draco's reply.

The arrived at the gates in no time and the guards at the gates looked over them both.

"Can we help you?" A guard asked. 

"We're looking for... uh... a medallion?" Harry supplied.

The guards looked at each other and smirked. "Good luck." The other one said and Harry could have sworn he'd heard doubt in his voice.

The first guard hit the ground with his staff and the gates opened before them.

The city before them was entirely of gold.

"Wow!" Draco exclaimed. "I could live here!"

Harry ignored him, as usual, and walked into the city. 

The gates closed behind them, ensuring their stay...

~~

No matter what Lupin did, he just couldn't concentrate for much longer than ten minutes on anything. Books, paper, nothing could keep his attention. 

He was forced to think of 'other' things and he wondered if Harry was doing all right, he did lose his godfather after all... and if he was taking it as good as Lupin was...then Harry wasn't doing too good at all.

"Maybe I'll write to him," Lupin said to no one in particular. "But what should I say?"

~~

Harry and Draco had walked up and down the streets of the 'golden city' but no matter where they went, no one was around. It was like the whole city had been abandoned.

"Well this is just swell." Draco had growled, crossing his arms and glaring at Harry.

"It's not my fault!" Harry cried.

"Sure it is, Potter, everything is your fault. They probably heard we were coming and took off."

"Why would they do that? If they took off, it'd be because of you... how can anyone stand you for so long?"

"Me? You're the one who won't 'lower' yourself to have a decent conversation with someone as profound as me!"

"Profound? Ha! And 'decent?' Sure, if your idea of _decent_ conversation is threats and insults!"

Suddenly a loud cheer rose up and both boys twirled around to try and find the source of the sound.

"And the Black team is losing one-forty to one-sixty! If Gold's seeker catches the snitch it's all over!" Someone said, sounding over a microphone of some sort.

"Is that what I think it is?" Harry said. Staring at the large stands in the center of the city, behind the Quidditch Pitch was a large tower. 

"A Quidditch Stadium? Why I believe it is." Draco returned and they headed in that direction.

They got there and made their way up into one of the stands, the Black side.

It was indeed a Quidditch game; one side was dressed entirely in black and the other in gold, but not gold enough to blind the offenders.

"Oh! OH!!" The person on the microphone suddenly yelled and Harry was reminded of Lee Jordan, in a whole other world. "Gold's seeker, Lady Star has caught sight of the snitch!"

One of the player's in gold suddenly dived downwards, chasing after a flickering gold object, minute to the naked human eye.

The seeker of the Black team dived down after her. 

Harry then noticed that all the players had identical brooms, not the vast variety of booms like Hogwarts' teams.

"AND LADY STAR HAS CAPTURED THE SNITCH!!"

The crowd went wild, even the Black side.

Draco and Harry took that opportunity to get out of the stand before the rush to get out started. They made their way back to the outside of the stadium and realized then that the whole entire town had been at the Quidditch game, thus the appearance of a ghost town.

People started to emerge from the stadium and Harry thought it best to ask one of them about the 'Medallion'

"Excuse me?" He asked, approaching a woman of mid-age with curly red hair and about four kids. "We're looking for a… 'medallion' of some sort—"

The woman took a look hard look at both Harry and Draco.

"Well you'll have to go to the tower for that then, won't you?" She said and then started scolding one of the kids for pulling his sister's hair.

"The tower?" Harry said looking towards the high silver tower that disappeared into the clouds.

"Let's go then." Draco said looking around, "It's getting dark and falling stars might burn us to death or something." He was obviously still mistrusting of the weather of this screwed up world.

They walked past the Quidditch Stadium and to the large double doors of the Tower.

"You're not from here, are you?" A female guard asked them, when they approached the doors. "No, I'd remember if I saw someone like you." She said motioning towards Draco.

Draco was visibly delighted to hear this and he winked at her.

"We're looking for a medallion." Harry said, choosing to ignore the disgusting display.

"Oh… really?" She looked surprised. "And here I thought you were just here to see the Quidditch game and get autographs… well… very well then." She let them pass.

Upon entering the tower they soon came to realize that whoever resided behind these walls must truly hold a high position of power.

The room they were in was huge with at least twenty elevators and huge billboards telling you which floor had what. 

_Floor Two: Quidditch Supplies, Floor Three: Injury Ward…_ The list went on and on, up to Floor Two-hundred and twenty-two… surely that wasn't normal… but then in this world, nothing was quite 'normal' by their standards.

"Which floor are we looking for?" Draco asked, scanning over the 40-65 floor names.

"I don't know," Harry replied. "Medallion floor?"

"Funny." Draco said sarcastically. 

After a moment Draco spoke again. "Do you think this is like the 'Quidditch part of the world? Half these floors have something to go with it."

"I don't know, seems like it." 

After another ten minutes of just scanning the floors a woman in a business suit came out from one of the golden elevators.

"Hello." She said and headed towards the door.

"Wait!" Harry called out and went after her. "Can you tell us which floor we can get a—uh… medallion?"

She looked at him a blinked, "A medallion? You're planning on going to Opal hill are you?"

Harry nodded.

The woman sighed and pointed to the seventh billboard.

"Then I imagine you'll want to see Lady Star Clubs, floor one-thirty nine."

"Thank you." Harry said walking towards one of the elevators and Draco went with him.

"Good luck with that." The woman said and left.

"What did the floor description say?" Harry asked, since Draco had looked at it and he had not.

The elevator was going up.

Draco looked a little paler than usual.

"Draco?" Harry asked.

"Floor of Mortal Peril." Draco said quietly and the moment after that was utter silence. 

They knew this journey wouldn't be easy... but this was way off the scale.

"And beside that," Draco said afterwards. "Was 'Floor of Cemetery'."


	5. The Badger Medallion Star

**_The Other Side of The Veil_** Chapter Five 

THE FIRST MEDALLION!

**A/N**: The first glimpse of Remellus and the strengthening of the plot! [Yes, I did have a 'real' plot… -_-;] 

Thanks to all my reviewers!

Dedicated: I'd like to dedicate this chapter to Kerstin-vol. Who lives in a box in Canada. You rock! ^_~ I live in a dumpster in Canada! ^_^v lol.

Warning: ///////////////      get it? Slash!

Also, thanks again to my sister 'Moony' for the idea of the "Balls down the shirt" bit.

By some odd swap of natural psychics, Ron had convinced Hermione to practice some Quidditch, well if that's what you could call it. All they were really doing was sitting on brooms a few feet from the ground and tossing a ball back and forth.

They couldn't keep their minds on anything; worry for Harry was pretty deep. They hadn't heard from him, not that it was really that long ago, but it was very nerve wrecking. Was he all right? Where was he? Were they close to the first medallion? 

Hermione dropped the ball for the seventh time and Ron went down to get it. 

"Ron?" She called down to him. "Can we stop now? I can't concentrate."

"Yeah, I know what you mean, are you sure we can't talk to him?"

Hermione thought about this. "Well… maybe… I mean, he hasn't called us yet… but maybe he doesn't know how to work it?"

"It's really not that hard…"

They lapsed into silence. 

~~

The elevator was like torture; it slowly made it's way up the ropes or however elevators worked... it just kept going and going.

"We're going to get stuck." Draco said, staring at the numerous buttons on the wall.

"We will not," Harry countered, "And don't jinx it."

"I didn't jinx it, I don't even have my wand out."

Harry sighed, "Never mind."

And uneasy silence rested over them, they were both nervous, what would come up? Would they have to slay some dragon or giant spider? 

Floor ninety-seven, ninety-eight…why must it take forever?

After what seemed like countless hours, the elevator suddenly stopped and the doors opened to a room of gray stones.

Lime vines and red thorns crawled around the stones, growing inside and outside of the stones.

"H-hello?" Harry called out and his voice echoed off the stones.

The dark, dank room was damp and made Harry squint. There was a distant sound that sounded much like dripping.

"Maybe we should just go?" Draco said, he was standing behind Harry.

Harry was reminded of first year when they had to go into the Forbidden Forest and Draco was a big coward. He smirked at this thought, some things never change.

Harry was about to reply when a voice rang out, "Who's there?"

"We're here looking for a medallion! Can you help us?"

A distant figure appeared at the far end of the room, shrouded in darkness and shadow. It was walking towards them.

Draco bit his lip to keep from making any noises that he was sure Potter would never left him forget. Damn Potter and his bloody courage, that damned bravery… but then, maybe they needed that… not that he'd ever admit that out loud or anything.

"You seek the medallions?" The voice said and it was definitely a female voice.

"Yes." Harry said. This was just getting weirder and weirder.

"How many of them have you collected so far?"

"This is our first." Harry said.

The girl laughed, "Oh you have nothing yet. Don't get ahead of yourself. You came here looking for the medallion but you won't get it that easily."

That was exactly what they were afraid of… now what?

"What do we have to do?" Harry asked, he was determined, he would save Sirius if it was the last thing he did!

 The girl came into view and she was wearing gold Quidditch robes, she was obviously part of the team and Harry recognized her as the Seeker.

She smiled at them, "My name is Star Clubs, but the people around here call me the 'Lady'."

"I'm Harry and that's Draco." He pointed at Draco.

"Charmed." Draco said coolly. 

"Really? Pity." She said and turned back to Harry.

"What do we have to do to get the medallion?" Harry repeated, growing bolder by the second.

Star tapped a finger to her chin and asked, "Why are you seeking the medallions? What business do you have at Opal Hill?"

Harry wasn't sure what to answer that with, should he tell her the truth? He glanced at Draco but the pale boy offered no help.

"My godfather," Harry said at last, he didn't see any harm in telling her their mission. "Sirius Black."

The Clubs woman stared at him, he was sure her mouth would drop in surprise or something but her eyes widened and that was about it. 

"Sirius Black… you… plan on taking him from the castle?" 

"Yes."

"Interesting… very interesting…" She said still staring at them.

"You know," She said. "This is the Quidditch center of this world. All Quidditch games are held here and our team is the best. We've been the world champions for 16 years… ever since I was born."

Harry and Draco remained silent.

"Did you notice all the teams have the same broom?" She asked. 

Harry nodded.

"That's because I bought them all for everyone. Everyone in this world who has a broom, has one of them. My team got bored of winning all the time, we blamed our superior brooms so we bought all the other teams the same ones… we still beat them… are you familiar with the terms and rules of Quidditch?" She asked, eyeing them both.

"Yes." Draco and Harry answered at the same time.

"Excellent, follow me." She led the way out of the room just as a dark, tall figure stepped out of the shadows.

They got back on the elevator and Harry turned to Star. "What was that?"

She blinked, "What was what?"

"That shadow…" Harry replied, wondering if he sounded stupid.

"Oh, that was death." She said it like she went in there everyday and chatted with him… but then… maybe she did…

They stopped on the two hundredth floor and got out. It was a roof… it was strange, since it wasn't even the top floor… but what wasn't weird in this sky blue grass world?

Star led the way to the far side of the open roof. 

"I challenge you," She said pointing her finger at them. "For the medallion, you must beat me."

They stared at her. 

"These are the rules," She went on. "We'll race through an obstacle course, it'll be random, to make it fair. So even I won't know what's coming up next. Throughout the course you'll collect four golden crystal balls before you can exit. Whoever makes it out of the course first will get the Quaffle; they'll get one shot at the hoop, if they miss it automatically goes to the opponent. From there it'll be whoever gets to five points first and then…" She took a snitch out of her pocket. "The first one to catch this," She let it go and it flew away. "Wins."

Harry and Draco looked at each other.

She smiled at them both. "Are you up to it?"

"You're on." Harry said, this sounded like a snap… she was good, but so was he… and Draco… he wasn't bad, as long as he didn't fall too far behind.

"And you?" She turned to Draco; it was obvious that she didn't like him much.

"This'll be easy." Draco drawled.

Star grinned, "Really? Alright shall we go?"

She pointed out into the fog that was surrounding the building and all around the rooftop so you could barely see anything else.

The fog cleared and the grass down below was endless... it was humungous. It stretched out forever. He could see in the distance what must be the beginning of the obstacle course.

"Are you ready?" She asked and snapped her fingers. Brooms appeared.

Harry walked towards the other broom and stopped.

Star was already mounted on her broom, waiting for them.

"What about Malfoy?" He asked, confused.

Star blinked. "What about him?"

"There's only one broom." Harry said.

Star smirked. "I know."

Draco's eyes amplified. "NO! I'm not riding with you!" He said pointing an accusing finger at Harry.

"So you forfeit?" Star asked. 

Draco blinked, they clearly had no choice…

"Come on, Malfoy. We've done this before."

That was true enough, twice to be exact.

"And each time you almost killed me!"

"I did not!"

"Come now boys, are you in or are you out?"

Draco felt like banging his head against a wall while he took his place on the broomstick behind Potter. This was so not even fair. He didn't even get his own frickin' broom.

"On my count," Star said and Harry nodded. Draco reluctantly wrapped his arms around Harry's waist. "One……two…….THREE!"

And they were off…

Draco had to bury his head in Harry's shoulder; they were going so fast he was almost certain he'd fall off.

Harry felt sick when he realized the warm rush that ran through his body when Draco's skin touched his.

_Ok, I am sooo going insane... no WAY do I think of Malfoy in that way. _

The entrance of the obstacle course was coming up and he had no thought to spare anymore for Malfoy, he had to win! Sirius depended on it!

Harry and Star entered at the same time… it looked like they were matched in speed… 

They entered the obstacle course and sky blue bushes on all sides immediately sounded them.

"Oh that's bright." Harry said and stirred upwards to avoid smashing head on with a large bush.

They were looking for those gold balls… well they did have the advantage, two seekers against one...

"Draco, are you looking?" He asked, knowing full well that he wasn't because his forehead was pressed against his neck.

"You're going to kill us!" Draco said, lifting his head but tightening his grip. 

Another rush of heat.

"Just shut up and look for the crystals, okay?!" Harry yelled at him.

Draco blinked, what the hell was his problem?

Draco scowled, he hated Harry having the last word but he figured since Harry was the one controlling the broom, he probably shouldn't irk him.

Harry's eyes moved back and forth searching for any glimmer of gold. He dodged the things that jumped out at them and all-and-all it wasn't too far from Quidditch itself. Searching for the snitch and dodging Bludgers.

Vines whipped out at them, sometimes making small rips in their clothes when Harry wasn't fast enough to dodge them in time.

Fifteen minutes later Harry had just dodged a large killer fly when he realized Draco hadn't said anything in the past while, even if it was only fifteen minutes. It must be a new record! 

But he couldn't help wondering: no insults? No smart-ass remarks? Sure, he had told Malfoy to shut up, but since when did Malfoy listen to him?

Maybe a vine strangled him?

Harry risked a look back at the blonde-haired Slytherin.

"What are you looking at?" Draco glared at him. "Keep your eyes ahead or you'll be the death of us both."

Harry did. Malfoy was still alive… he was glad?

"There's one!" Draco called out pointing to the left.

Harry aimed the broom in that direction.

He swooped down toward the shimmering ball and Draco reached out and grabbed it.

"Got it." Draco said and they were off again.

Surprisingly, they made a good team; in no time they had collected two more crystal balls.

Draco had to let go of Harry so he could hold the crystal balls. This caused Harry to have to be more careful when inclining; Draco might slip right off the back end of the broom.

Harry was also surprised to find himself thinking praise of the Slytherin. He had found two out of the three balls and Harry was beginning to think that maybe Draco hadn't just bought himself onto the Slytherin Quidditch team after all. Maybe he did have some talent under that cold, arrogant exterior.

"Come on Potter! We have one more to go! Fly faster would you?"

"But-"

"I won't fall! Just go!"

Hesitantly Harry did.

They flew for what seemed like a long while without so much as a sign of the fourth and last golden crystal ball.

Then Draco nudged Harry with his shoulder. "Hey, stop."

Harry did.

"What is it?" Harry asked, Draco was scanning the ground below.

"I saw it," Draco said. "But… it crawled away…"

Harry moved the broom a little to get a better view, "Are you sure?"

"Think I'd lie?"

"Uh…" Harry was about to mention 'Slytherin' but Draco continued with, "About something like this?"

"Right," Harry agreed. "Which way did it go?"

"That way." Draco said and pointed right, toward a patch of bushes.

Harry maneuvered the broom according to Draco's direction. Harry moved slower than before scanning the below.

There was an eerie still and silence; they hadn't been attacked by anything for a while now… something wasn't right.

"There it is!" Draco called out and Harry saw it too.

It was running away from them!

It had four legs and it was running!

"After it!" Draco called and Harry didn't have to be told twice.

Harry took off and Draco held onto the broom best he could with just his legs and pressing his front to Harry's back in more effort to remain seated.

They chased after the four-legged crystal ball, dodging the vines and insects that decided to attack them at that precise, crucial moment.

"Watch it!" Draco hollered, "That one almost got me!"

Harry ignored him. He needed all the concentration he could muster.

Suddenly a rather large bug picked up the ball and started flying with it.

"That could make this easier!" Harry said.

"Or worse." Draco commented as the insect sped up significantly. 

"Crap." Harry muttered. How fast could he go without Draco falling off first?

Draco seemed to think of the same thing.

Draco wished that he had pockets, but no, he just HAD to wear the _sexy_ pants!

"One moment." Draco said hurriedly stuffing the bottom of his shirt into his pants.

"What are you doing?" Harry asked, incredulous. He was losing sight of the crystal and Malfoy was worried about his clothes!

Once Draco's shirt was securely tucked in, he proceeded to shove the crystals down his shirt.

"What are you going?" Harry asked again, glancing nervously from Draco to the far off speeding crystal.

When all the crystals were safe inside his shirt, Draco gripped Harry's waist again, "Ok, now go!" Draco called and Harry did.

They caught up to the crystal ball fast enough, but like the snitch, it dangled just out of reach.

"Just grab it!" Draco hollered.

"I'm trying!" Harry yelled back.

"Are you the Golden Boy Seeker or not?" Draco called.

Harry glared straight ahead. He was going to catch that ball!

He sped up and almost caught it too; he felt the glass brush his fingertips and then Draco's voice, "Watch out!"

But it was too late; they crashed into a very tall bush.

"ARHH!" Both Draco and Harry yelled as the blue leaves collided with them and they went hurtling toward the ground.

Harry hit the ground first and then all the air was forced out of his lungs when Draco landed on top of him. Draco's arms were still around Harry's middle.

Draco groaned and lifted his head to glare at Harry, "Way to go! You should have been watching where you were going! Clumsy Ape!"

Harry didn't answer, he was in pain and didn't know if he could say anything, but he managed a, "Geroff me!" And Draco jumped up, he appeared perfectly ok. 

Harry could have sworn he'd saw a tint of pink in Malfoy's cheeks… but that couldn't be right…

Harry groaned and sat up, his stomach hurt.

"Ouch." Draco said rubbing his own stomach. "I think I landed on one of those damn balls. Amazing they didn't break."

Harry looked at Draco's lumpy shirt and couldn't help a grin, he looked hilarious.  

Harry got up, he wasn't hurt too badly; just very sore… no broken bones.

Draco resisted any look of concern or the words, 'are you okay?'

"I hurt." Harry commented, mostly to himself.

"I steer this time." Draco said picking up the broom and Harry couldn't argue.

"Look!" Harry pointed upwards and the crystal ball was hovering above them.

"Here!" Draco pulled his shirt out and thrust the crystals into Harry's hands. "Stay here, I can catch it easier and faster without you."

Draco mounted the broom and kicked off, even before Harry could protest.

Draco soared through the air after the withdrawing ball. 

Harry watched, clutching the other three crystals. Draco was actually very good at it, confirming Harry's earlier thoughts that maybe Malfoy hadn't bribed his way onto the Slytherin Quidditch team.

Draco closed in on the crystal and within moments he had caught it.

Harry repressed anything resembling a cheer.

"Come on!" Draco called to him and lowered the broom so Harry could get on.

Then they rushed off towards the end of the obstacle course.

Draco dodged all the things that jumped out at them and flew over barriers with ease.

Harry had to wonder why Draco never seemed this good during Hogwarts' Quidditch games, but then, his dislike of the other boy would overpower anything good about him.

Things are different now, Harry thought. The circumstances are different….

Everything is different.

They flew down a long, narrow path and emerged at the other side. Star was waiting for them.

"Did you enjoy yourselves? Oh, switched positions I see." She seemed relaxed and Draco wondered just how she had managed to hold onto the crystals by herself, but there was no time for that.

She was holding the Quaffle, "Ready then?" She asked and flew up toward the hoops.

She looked once more at them and tossed the Quaffle…

There was a hovering boundary line that the person with the Quaffle could not cross.

The ball went through and it floated back to her so she could make her second shot.

She threw it again and again it went in. 

2-0

She threw it a third time and the ring that sounded confirmed it'd gone through once again.

3-0

She took the Quaffle again and tossed it at the suspended hoop a forth time.

…miss.

The ball, this time came to Draco and Harry.

Harry took it and threw it, it went in.

            It also went in a second time, but missed the third.

            Draco bit his lip to keep from cursing.

            Star's turn went in.

            4-2, one more and Star would win! ~~ She missed.

            "My turn." Draco said, taking the ball this time. He threw it at the golden ring and the satisfying ring sounded.

            Draco made the second shot and they were tied.

            4-4

            "Come on, Malfoy." Harry said quietly, rooting for him. (For once in his life)

            This must've surprised Draco considerably, he missed.

            Star got the red ball and it went in.

            Immediately, she took off. Even higher into the sky, searching for the snitch that would end it all.

            Desperate to catch up, Harry threw the Quaffle but it missed its target.

            Draco made an irritated noise at the back of his throat and made the next shot.

He hurled the Quaffle at the hoop and it went through.

"Switch!" Harry called out, meaning that he wanted to be in control again.

"But-" Draco was saying, but the look Harry gave him told him there was no time for arguing, and deep inside Draco know that Harry was the better seeker.

After a complicated sequence of movements, Harry was back in the front.

They shot up into the sky after Star.

She didn't look at them as they ascended.

She was deep in concentration.

This should be the easiest part, Harry told himself.

"You look that way and I'll look this way." Harry said and Draco didn't argue.

They looked and searched in opposite directions, both determined and bent on finding the snitch first.

They were both too busy to notice Star's intense stares at the two of them.

"THERE IT IS!" Draco called out, pointed wildly at the flickering gold, which was a way away.

Instinctively, Harry veered towards it at top speed.

Star was startled for a moment but then gave chase as well.

Harry was close… it was just hovering there… waiting for him… he could almost feel it…

He reached out… and then the snitch sped away twice as fast as a normal snitch.

"What the-"

"Hurry up!" Draco yelled, clearly anxious.

Harry frowned and sped up… damn snitch.

"You didn't think it's actually just sit there and let you catch it, did you?" Star's voice rang out.

They were now neck and neck.

Harry didn't reply, all that mattered was the snitch.

They finally had enough speed to just get within reach of the snitch, but both Harry and Star were having trouble reaching out to it.

When Draco realized this, he made a very quick decision.

He placed a foot underneath him and pushed himself up, holding onto Harry's shoulders to steady himself.

"What the hell are you doing?" Harry yelled at him. "Are you insane?" Did the pale boy have a bloody death wish?

Draco didn't answer, he was standing on a broomstick, going neck-break speed. Maybe he was insane… but he had to try.

"Just keep going!" Draco called to Harry.

Harry kept telling himself that he wouldn't and shouldn't care if Draco died… I mean Malfoy! If Malfoy died…. Right?

Harry reached out for the snitch again but he was violently thrown off course when Draco leaped from the broom.

Draco felt his hand close around the golden snitch.

Good = he had caught the snitch

Bad = he was plummeting toward the ground from 1000 meters above.

A startled gasp escaped Harry's lips as the image of the falling blonde Slytherin rushed to his mind.

Without thinking, he swooped downwards, at a total vertical angle.

He raced down toward Draco's body and then… he grabbed Draco's hand.

They were now near the ground, Harry having caught Draco at the exact right moment. Harry let Draco down at a safe place and dismounted his broom as well.

"You could have died." Harry said. Surprised at the amazing feeling of relief in his stomach.

"Well I didn't, did I?" Draco said letting go of the snitch and then grabbing it again before it got away.

The image of his dad floated into Harry's mind… it was disturbing…

"And what would you have done if I hadn't saved you?" Harry asked him

"I didn't think of that." Draco admitted, revealing that he was totally relying on Harry's rescue from the moment he made his speedy decision.

Again, the creepy thought of his dad came into Harry's mind.

Rash… James was rash. Also the cruelty of their age was similar…

'He grew out of it' Sirius had said.

Sirius…

"Well," Star's voice came to them as she landed. "I guess I lost… I've never lost before…" She sounded dazed.

"The medallion?" Harry asked.

"Of course," Star replied. She took the necklace from around her neck off and handed it to him. "See you!" She said and took to the lavender sky again.

Harry gazed at the badger Medallion.

"We'll have to go get our bags." Harry said. They had left them at the roof.

"Well we should have thought about that before I had to stick those cold balls down my shirt." Draco said, he seemed really happy… oh my, was he smiling… no, no it was a smirk....

Harry stared, was that a joke?

Malfoy, joking? It was too much… Harry couldn't help laughing.

Draco stared at him, a smile threatening to break through. "Ok, wasn't that funny." Draco said after a while and Harry still hadn't shut up.

But they were both still in high spirits about their victory.

The first medallion was theirs… only five more to go…


	6. Open Up Your Mind

The Other Side of The Veil, Chapter Six 

_--Open Up Your Mind—_

"~Just hold on tight, even if your heart is breaking. 

    Reach into your soul, even if you can't see it.

    Yes, there's another world out there.

    You can take another look from the other side.

     And you'll be able to find, all that is love…~"

A/N: Yay, here's Remellus' big début! 

A big: *GASP!* to hecate-19 because I think you're a mind reader! You scare me… the ideas in my head are scarily close to the things you've mentioned in your reviews! 

**So… don't ruin it for yourself too badly :p enjoy**

**Also an apology to the reviewer who disapproved of my D/H slash. Thanks for your review and for liking my story but I'm sure the readers would be disappointed if I didn't continue my slashy ways. ^_~**

**_Italics_**** symbolize the person's thinking, aight?**

            Lupin glanced over his letter to Harry again, was it too bold to mention Sirius name out of the blue? No, of course it wasn't… he was his friend too… He shook his head and just sent it. No use fussing over nothing, right?

            It wasn't long before his owl returned, still with the same letter. Lupin frowned. 

            "What is it?" He asked, scratching the bird under the chin. "Why can't you get my letter to him?"

            Lupin thought about this for a while, there was only one plausible explanation for delivery fail. The person was not at the place the letter was sent.

            "That's odd."

~~

            "Lupis! I really think you're over-reacting!" A young woman with sapphire eyes cried out to her king.

            "You know nothing!" He yelled back at her. "You didn't _see_ them, Dele! They're up to something! I know it!"

            Sapphire Dele sighed, the king was paranoid. He thought everyone was out to get him… which in reality wouldn't be that, big of a surprise. 

            "Maybe if you gave them more to eat and loosened your reins a little they'd—"

            "And give them chances to strike at me? No, I must keep my power hold or they'll _all_ turn!" He glared suspiciously at Sapphire. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you were up to something too!"

Sapphire's eyes widened. "My Lord! Out of all your most loyal, was I not the first to pierce my own flesh at your orders? Did I not earn my place among you as your most truest and trusted advisor! I surely did not make this position by default!"

            Remellus sighed. "Yes, yes of course. I apologize Dele. You must understand and forgive my distress."

            "Yes, your majesty. May I suggest you place more Watchers among the people to account for anything suspicious?"

            "Yes, a fine idea. Do that."

            Sapphire smoothed her hair back; sometimes the king was a big baby about the stupidest things. 

            "Just promise me you won't make rash decisions and do things without my advice?" Sapphire beseeched. 

It would not do for the king to be doing things for other people before not thinking them through…  not that he was a generous man or anything…

            "Yes, yes, of course." Lupis said.

            Suddenly the doors to the throne room slammed open and someone came in.

            "Remellus! I want that portrait out of my room!" 'The world's center attraction at the moment', roared. He was clearly aggravated.

            "Of course," Remellus said waving a hand. "Anything, My Love."

            Sapphire groaned, what was that about not making any decisions without council again?

            "Don't call me that." Sirius growled.

            Remellus wasn't fazed in the least; he swept past Sirius and Sapphire and went to the window.

            "You're certain they won't attack me when I sleep?" Lupis asked, eyeing the crowded streets below.

            "Yes your majesty," Sapphire was massaging her temples, this was getting very tiresome. "We'll have guards at your every door."

            "Oh, well that's not entirely necessary." Lupis replied.

            Sapphire repressed a groan, would he just make up his mind already!

            Lupis was about to say something else when the doors burst open again. 

"Can't you people knock!" Lupis said and glared at the intruder, who happened to be a messenger.

            "I have a very urgent message." The messenger said. 

            Sapphire went to the messenger and took the scroll he offered.

            She read over it and her eyes bulged. 

            "Your majesty," she said and went to his side. "Lady Star Clubs has lost her medallion to two travelers from the third dimension," She lowered her voice even lower so that Sirius couldn't hear. "They're saying that they're coming here… to 'rescue' Sirius Black from you, your majesty."

            Lupis appeared to maul this over in his mind. "Well stop them."

            "Right," Sapphire said and called over one of the guards. She told them what to look for. "Strangers from another dimension."

            "I'm surprised," Remellus said to Sapphire after the guard had left. "Lady Star is a very powerful woman, and she was beat? At her own game?"

            "Yes, they seem very able and powerful individuals." Sapphire agreed, she knew Star well and there was no way she was to be defeated… and yet… there she was… defeated and medallion-less.

            "Well they won't get all the medallions now will they?" Lupis said smiling at her.

            Sapphire grinned. "No, of course not."

            "What's going on?" Sirius asked suspiciously. 

These people were insane…all he did was fall from the sky and then he was suddenly some powerful person in a strange world he knew nothing about. He wished he could go home, but Remellus kept telling him that there was no way. He knew he was lying, he just couldn't prove it.

            "Nothing, Love, it's nothing." Remellus said breezily. 

            "May I ask what's wrong with the painting in your room?" Sapphire asked Sirius.

            Sirius glared at her. "I don't like it." He said simply.

            She raised an eyebrow. She knew it was a portrait of the king, they all were. "Oh?" 

            Sirius crossed his arms in a stubborn way. "Yeah. I want it gone."

            Sapphire seemed to be thinking and then nodded with no farther questions.

            Sirius didn't much like Sapphire; she was really the one in charge of everything. Lupis couldn't handle a household, let alone a castle and the entire world. Sapphire was his most 'trusted advisor', Sirius just called her 'his younger mother'. 

            The painting in Sirius room was of Remellus true enough and maybe to everyone else it wouldn't be that big of a deal, or maybe they were just too scared to say anything. But the paintings wouldn't shut up! All they ever did was talk about its self and the fact that Remellus sounded and looked just like Remus Lupin was just way too creepy.

~~

"Harry! I'm so glad you're okay!" Hermione cried into the arrow pendant.

"How was it?" Ron asked. Harry had contacted them after he and Malfoy had got the first medallion.

"It was weird," Harry said with all honesty. "We had to play a very different game of Quidditch."

"Sounds easy! Especially for you!" Ron exclaimed.

Harry gave a nervous laugh. "Yeah, well we got it anyway." He could afford to skip details, right?

"I'm so happy for you!" Hermione beamed. He was okay, that was all they could ask for.

"Well I should go—" 

"But we just started talking!"

"I know, I'm sorry, but we've got to get going, this isn't exactly easy…"

"Yes of course… well good luck, Harry."

"Thanks Herm."

"Take care, mate."

"I will. Bye."

"Bye."

And then he was gone.

"Well he's ok." Hermione said, sitting at the foot of the bed.

"He is." Ron agreed. 

An enormous burden was lifted off their shoulders.

~~

"Which way?" Draco asked, trying to see over Harry's shoulder at the compass.

"Uh… north, now." Harry said, looking north… there were mountains in the distance.

"Great," Draco said and Harry couldn't tell if he was kidding or not.

"Alright, we'll walk for a few hours with minor breaks in between and then when we find a good place, we can set up camp."

They had acquired a tent from the nice people at the Quidditch city and so they didn't have to sleep outside on rocks. 

"Sounds fine to me." Draco said and they started walking.

Five minutes later Draco stopped walking and stared at Harry. "Did we just have a civil conversation?" He asked, incredulous. 

Harry stopped too, "Yeah, scary, huh?"

Draco frowned. "Ok. You're a stupid git and I still hate you."

Harry nodded. "That's better. I hate you too."

And they went on their way, still hating each other and still worst enemies… sorta.

~~

Star was staring at the wine glass in front of her. She wasn't exactly over her failure just yet.

"Drink it." A voice said and without thinking, Star did, still staring at the place on the table the glass had been.

"Darling, it's not that bad." The woman sitting across from Star said.

Star frowned, "How would you know? I am the youngest of the council and I've just lost my medallion, how is that not bad? Not only was I bested at my own game, I'll have to prove myself to Lupis all over again!"

"Don't fret, who will he trust in your position if not you? Sapphire won't allow you to be kicked off the council. You know, despite what you think, you are a vital part of the committee, Remellus won't toss you out without a very good reason…"

"Like losing the medallion?"

"Nonsense, you can get a new one, besides as long as they're stopped before they reach Opal Hill, Remellus will be pleased."

"And someone will stop them?" Star looked up to the professional looking young woman across from her. She was wearing a dark blue business like suit and her glasses were slightly pointed at the end. Quite the opposite of Star's Quidditch robes… the woman was a brainy type, most unlike Star and yet...

"Of course Love, just leave that to me." The woman said and raised her glass. "Cheers."

Star grinned, she was feeling better already.

~~

"Oh come off it! We've only been walking for two hours!"

"I don't care," Draco said sitting on the ground. "I need to rest. My feet are killing me."

Of course Malfoy would be wearing some kind of fancy, pureblood boots instead of the required hiking shoes or something. At this rate they'd reach the mountain-based city in a year!

"Can't you walk just a little longer?" Harry pleaded, hating himself for it but they were in a hurry!

"Not unless you carry me." Draco said.

Harry thumped to the ground across from Draco. Angry now.

"Fine, rest." He growled, pouring malice into his words but Draco didn't seem to notice or care.

Draco took off his boots and was massaging his aching feet.

Harry fell back onto his back and stared at the light purple sky. Out of all people, why him?

Harry sat back up; he would try anything (save from carrying him) to get Malfoy to keep going.

"If I switch you shoes, will you keep going?" Harry offered.

Draco stared at him. "Those awful things?" He said eyeing Harry's running shoes. "Are you mad? I wouldn't be caught dead in those."

Harry gave a frustrated sigh.

"Excuse me?" A voice suddenly said to them and they both jumped, they thought they were alone.

"Who are you?" Draco asked. The young girl standing right near them was about their height, deep green eyes and straight black hair. She was wearing a black cloak with a silver snake on the latch. 

"My name is Silver. Spade Silver, actually and I was just wondering if you'd be kind as to tell me where I am?"

Harry stared at her, "We don't know."

"Oh? So you're lost too?"

"We're heading towards that mountain." Harry said and pointed to their destination and then he sent a particularly nasty glare in Malfoy's direction.

"Ah I see," She said. "Very well then, good luck. Oh," She stopped and turned back to them. "Before I forget." She waved her arms in a strange motion that reminded Harry of some sort of monk and a pain shot through Harry's head. Judging by the groan he heard from Draco, he guessed he was feeling it too.

When Harry had cleared his head he looked up and the girl was gone.

"What did she do?" Draco asked, his feet forgotten and holding his aching head.

"How am I supposed to know?" Harry asked. The headache was intense but it cleared after another five agonizing minutes.

"That wasn't very nice of her." Draco said, putting his boots back on.

"What would you know about being nice?" Harry challenged, throwing rocks at nothing.

"Absolutely nothing." Draco said. Sounding arrogant as always.

"Can you walk now?" Harry asked irritated very much by now.

"I'm sure I can make it for a while, but I'm delicate you know."

Harry rolled his eyes; he was _such_ a prat.

"I am not." Draco said, putting his bag back on his back.

"Not what?" Harry asked, bewildered.

"A prat, Potter."

Harry frowned; did he say that out loud? He must have.

"Whatever, Malfoy." Harry said, dismissing it. 

They continued on their way.

~~

Lupin flipped through an old textbook he'd found. He had decided that Harry was just out or something and he'd write to them like the Order agreed every three days. Which would be tomorrow. Things would be fine.

Lupin came across scribbling in the margin of his faded textbook.

~What's the answer to number four?  
            ~Sirius! I said you could share my textbook, not my answers!

~_Come on, Moony! _

_~Sirius, you're ruining my book!_

A sad smile crossed Lupin's face; he was going to miss him very much.

~~

After another two hours of walking, Draco was sore again. Damn those boots! And it was getting dark, so they decided to stop and rest and eat for the night.

"Why the hell did you wear those boots to a world like this?" Harry glared.

"I didn't know what kind of a world it was! For all we knew it could have been a world revolving around fashion… and then you'd be in trouble, wouldn't you?" Draco returned. Digging through his bag for something.

Harry shook his head, what kind of moron would believe in a world revolving around fashion?

"We _live_ in a world revolving around fashion," Draco said. "Of course you wouldn't notice though. All you need is that scar and you're instantly popular, no worries then."

"So if the new fashion was a lighting bolt scar, you'd do it to fit in?"

"I don't need to fit in. I already do. It's the other people who need to fit in with _me._"

"Oh that's not conceded at all." Harry said sarcastically.

Draco didn't dignify that with an answer. He had found what he was looking for and was fixated on the fire.

_Well it's better than being a scumbag low-life living in a box, now isn't it?_

"What was that?" Harry asked, "Are you looking for a fight?"

Draco looked up, startled. "What? I didn't say anything."

"Yeah sure, whatever. I heard you loud and clear."

Draco stared; there was no way Potter had read his mind! That was not cool!

Harry stared too, and then he picked up a can of something. "Are you hungry then?"

Draco eyed him suspiciously, "Sure." 

Harry tossed the can to him and got his own. They sat there in silence after that, not even thinking. Just staring at the fire they had made… the dancing flames… and no thinking… no thinking at all.

~~

Hermione had talked to her parents and confirmed the permission to stay with the Weasleys a little longer. Which was good, then she and Ron could share the arrow pendant and both talk to Harry.

"Mom says it's dinner time." Ron said poking his head into the room Hermione was sharing with Ginny. 

"Alright." Hermione answered, finishing the journal entry she was writing.

Hermione had decided to take down the events that Harry told them. Ron didn't see the point, but Hermione was Hermione and she insisted it a good idea. And so it was to be.

"What are you always writing in there?" Ginny asked. "You've never kept a journal before, and nothing exciting has happened since you got here."

Ron looked at Hermione and Hermione thought fast. "Uh… I'm writing a story."

"Really? Can I read it?"

"Uh… when it's finished. Ok?" Hermione smiled trying to be convincing.

"Alright then." Ginny said and left the room to go to supper.

"You know," Hermione said to Ron as she put her book back into her overnight bag. "We can't keep this a secret for long, someone will notice Harry's gone, eventually."

Ron nodded. "I know, but Mom'll freak if she finds out we—"

"Found out what?" Mrs. Weasley asked from behind him.

Hermione went pale and Ron went red.

"We… uh… ate the banana bread." Ron said quickly, knowing that Fred and George had snuck in that night before and took a bunch of food. They said that they could have bought their own but Mom's was better.

"Ronald Weasley!" His mother cried. "I made that bread for your father's business trip!"

"I'm sorry!" Ron cried back and his mother huffed away mumbling something about teenagers and food.

Hermione and Ron shared a wary glance and followed her downstairs.

~~

"There is no _way_ I'm sharing a tent with you!" Draco exclaimed. The tent the good people from Quidditch town gave them, turned out to be a Muggle one room tent.

"Well sleep outside then." Harry retorted.

Draco glared at him.

"Just stay on your side of the tent and I'll stay on mine." Harry said finally and Draco frowned. "Fine. But I'm not used to small, confined sleeping areas." He said.

"Just go to sleep, Malfoy." Harry said, not bothering to change out of his clothes because he had nothing new or different to wear anyway. Plus, he'd rather die than change in front of Malfoy anyways.

"Oh please, like I'd peep on you." Draco growled from the other side of the tent.

Harry sat up straight, ok, he was _sure_ he hadn't said that out loud.

"Ok, is it just me or is there something seriously wrong going on here?" Harry asked and Draco sat up too.

"What are you going on about?" Draco asked. 

"You're reading my mind!" Harry cried, horrified as the words left his mouth.

"I am not!" Draco cried back. "How would I do that?"

"I don't know! But you've been doing it all day!"

"Ok then," Draco said, crossing his arms in a stubborn way. "Think something and I'll see if I can read it…"

"Ok."

_Uh... the sky outside is dark green..._

Draco shrugged, "See? Nothing…" Then his eyes widened and he clamped his hands over his ears. "No! How the hell did that happen?" _Stupid Potter, I bet he put a spell on me!_

"I did not!" Harry yelled. "You're probably the one who did this… you're the Dark Arts studier here!"

Draco stared at him, "Now you're reading _my_ mind!"

"What? How?"

"I don't know, but I didn't say that last part aloud."

"How did this happen?" Harry asked, frowning in concentration.

Then at the same time, the answer popped into their heads. 

"Spade… Silver…"

~~

It was dinner at the castle on Opal Hill and of course that was a good thing, right?

_What the hell is this?_ Sirius thought, looking down at his food. It looked like some kind of animal… but then, maybe it was pasta?

The table on which they ate was a very, very long table; it would seat 150 people at the least. Remellus, of course was at the head of the table and to his right was Sirius and his left was Sapphire.

"Something wrong, Love?" Remellus asked, looking at Sirius.

"No, no," Sirius said and picked up his fork as if to eat. "And don't call me that."

"Call you what?"

Sirius growled, "Lov-"

The doors swung open and woman stepped in. 

"Spade! How wonderful of you to join us!" Remellus exclaimed, getting to his feet.

"I've completed the task." Spade said taking a seat beside Sapphire.

"Oh? Excellent." Remellus smiled at her.

"I've poisoned their minds with each other and if they don't kill each other first, it will weaken and slow them down at the least."

"Good," Remellus said raising his wine glass. "A toast then, to the head of my guards."

Sapphire and Spade raised their glasses, nodded, and took a sip.

Sirius stared at them, something wasn't right…

~~

After a long and sleepless night of tossing and turning and fear of sleep because they were afraid the other would appear in their dreams, Draco and Harry decided it best to get up and just go.

As they packed up, Draco was surprised to find himself attempting casual conversation. "You know," he said. "It was sort of strange for Star's people to give us that tent but not even a broom or something. They are the Quidditch capital of the world, aren't they?"

"Yeah," Harry agreed, zipping up his bag. "That is sort of strange, inconvenient too."

Throughout the first three hours of their walking and the mountains growing ever closer, they kept their talking to a bear minimal and their thinking at an all-time low.

Harry had attempted to think of some strategies and numbers of how and when they'd get to their destination, but Draco had told him to shut up because he was making his head hurt.

But the uncomfortable silence hanging between the two boys was tugging at them and it was quickly becoming a tiresome burden.

"Ok," Harry said at last. "We're going to have to think of something." He said pointedly.

"What?" Draco asked.

"We'll just have to find a way to _not_ read each other's minds." _Because I won't have a Malfoy invading my personal space as well as my mind._

Draco narrowed his eyes, "I heard that." _And don't think I want you in my mind either!_

"Let's try something, then," Harry said, stopping and facing Malfoy. "I'm going to try thinking of something and your going to try to read my mind, but I'll try to block it. Ok?"

Draco rolled his eyes; trust Potter to come up with something stupid. "Fine."

Harry leered, suggesting he had heard the 'stupid' comment and thought about not letting Malfoy invade his mind.

_Quidditch._

Draco stared at him and blinked… "I can't tell what you're thinking." He said.

Harry beamed, "Good! Now you try."

Draco thought about not letting Potter read his mind.

_Mountains._

"Nope, can't read it." Harry was smiling now, "Problem's solved!"

_Sure it is, but you're still an idiot._

Harry glared at him.

~~

They finally arrived at the mountain city. Which they learned was called: Babylonia. 

"How the hell can you walk in these things?" Harry asked, Draco had whined again about sore feet and finally took Harry's offer to swap shoes… they were the most uncomfortable things Harry had ever worn!

"Not so easy, is it?" Draco smirked, "It hurts to be beautiful."

_Hurts_ you _if I punch you, Moron._

"Try it." Draco sneered.

The city was as big as Quidditch had been. The people were all rushing around, going places, doing things.

"Should we ask someone then?" Harry asked, the cities buildings were all of blue glass. It was amazing.

"Any better ideas?" Draco asked. Well it was obvious that that was their only hope.

But before either of them could ask anyone any questions, a voice rang out from behind them.

"Welcome to Babylonia! The capitol of scientific research and intelligence. I'm Becky, will you need a guide during your stay?"

Draco and Harry glanced at each other, well this was convenient.

"We're looking for a medallion." Draco said, looking around. The city wasn't gold but the blue glass was just as attractive.

The girl called Becky laughed and then stopped suddenly, "Oh, you're serious?"

Draco frowned, "Well of course we're serious!" _What's the deal with these people?_

_Don't ask me._

"I'm sorry," Becky said putting a hand to her mouth to hide her embarrassment. "It's just that we don't get very many people around here looking for the medallions... over 100 different people have tried to retrieve all six medallions in that past century… none of them made it."

"What happened to them?" Harry asked.

"Well," Becky said, glancing down at her clipboard. "Most of them died, others disappeared, and the rest went insane."

Draco and Harry's eyes widened in shock.

"Well then," Becky said and started walking towards what looked like the center of the city. "Shall we be on our way? I suppose Ms. Straeh isn't expecting you?"

"Pardon? Who?" Harry asked.

"Ms. Aster Straeh, the founder and principal of this city."

"I guess not, since we've never met her." Harry said. _These towns just keep getting weirder._

Draco nodded.

After ten more minutes of walking, Becky stopped in front of the tallest building in the city. "Well here you are," Becky said and bowed to them. "Enjoy your stay, and good luck."

And with that, she turned on her high heels and walked away.

"That was quite different." Harry stated and he and Draco entered the building.

~~

"What do you mean they're getting along fine!" Remellus roared, throwing an apple at Sapphire's head, she ducked and it hit the wall behind her.

"Forgive me, My Lord!" Spade cried. "I didn't know that they'd get along with each other assaulting their minds! I thought for sure they'd go insane! But Aster's assistant, Becky, contacted us and told us that they seemed to be indifferent towards it all!"

"Well you've made a grim mistake." Remellus growled, and Spade and Sapphire winced. Only they knew just how nasty the king could get when he was angry.

"Calm down," Sapphire said, stepping in and placing a hand on the king's shoulder. "We'll take care of it, Aster will stop them, don't you worry. Why don't you go take a walk to relax your mind?"

Remellus seemed to think about this. 

"Take Black with you." Sapphire suggested and the king nodded.

Remellus left to go get Sirius, leaving Spade and Sapphire alone.

"We have to stop them." Sapphire said simply.

"I know," Spade said. "And we will."

~The stars may live for a long time,

  But that doesn't mean, that the same

  Days will repeat over and over.

  No one can see into tomorrow~

**Author's Notes: **I don't own the song I've quoted at the top and bottom of this chapter, and I'll probably quote some more of it in the next.

            It belongs to the talented: MIRAI "Open up your mind" from the Saiyuki soundtrack. 


	7. The Raven Medallion Aster

**_The Other Side of The Veil By: Juniper Myst._**

Chapter Seven – Intellect and Loyalty 

WARNING: Female slash, but only among OCs, so relax. And 'Open up your mind!' it's not that bad, just mentions of it :p It's also important for future chapters so bear with it ok!?

P.S. To anyone who's been 'trying' to read my other fics and noticed I haven't been updating them as often as I do this one, that's because I have _so much fun_ writing this one! Lol, romance is okay, but I prefer adventure.

Aya the Crazy Rabid Fangirl: "I HATE RIDDLES! ARGH!" *rips her hair out*

Juniper Winner: Heh… heh… read on!

~~~

Spade Silver had left her room in the castle, she made her way through the halls with a purpose... she should be resting now, there were plenty of things that needed to be taken care of and she needed her strength for that…but at the moment she really needed to talk to someone.

            Spade never liked weak things, weak people, weak animals, weak anything. So at the moment she hated herself, she hated this moment of weakness...

            She stole into Sapphire's room; she crept over to the 'Trusted Advisors' bedside and looked down at the sleeping girl.

            Sapphire then spoke without opening her eyes, "Did you want something, Silver?"

            Spade blinked, she had forgotten how keen Sapphire's senses were.

            "Oh, no... I'm sorry I woke you up, I'll just go..."

            Sapphire sighed and sat up, "You came here to tell me something, I can tell... so spill it."

            Spade couldn't help a small smile, Sapphire knew exactly whenever she had something to say and she wouldn't allow her to leave until she said it. That was partly why she came here in the first place.

            She needed someone to force her to admit her weakness. She had never spoken of the pain she bared and it was eating her alive. She wanted someone to make her say it, once and for all...

            "It's about her, isn't it?" Sapphire said, she may not be an expert on matters of the heart, but she certainly could pick up on her friend's feelings about it.

            Spade didn't answer. 

            "You know," Sapphire said. "You've been my best friend since we were in diapers, I can tell exactly what's on your mind, so don't deny it."

            Spade sighed. "I miss her."

            Sapphire stared, she knew that'd she'd have to make Spade spit it out, but that had been way too easy, but then, a lot of things had been changing around here.

            "You know, it's not your fault." Sapphire said, pulling Spade down into the bed to sit.

            "How can you say that?" Spade asked, surprised. "You know just as well as I do that it was entirely my fault!"

            "No it wasn't, it was my fault too. And hers! She's the one who won't listen to your excuses or apologies!"

            "Maybe she jumped to conclusions, but—"

            "Silver! Listen to me, will you? I'm your best friend so I know what's best for you. Just forget about her, she left you. Over the stupidest reasons, without hearing you out. If she really cared she would have looked for any reason to believe you and she would have understood!"

            Spade nodded. Sapphire was right, she was living in the past and that wouldn't do.

            "But at meetings and such... how do I act?" Spade wondered aloud.

            "Like you don't give a crap," Sapphire spoke. "If she's going to act like that, you should too. You're also the head of the guards, so you can't be making puppy dog eyes at her when you need to play indifference!"

            "I don't know—"

            "I think I'm the only one who gets to see you like this… the head guard all bewildered and afraid, knock it off already!"

            "You're right… indifference… callousness…right?"

            "Exactly."

            _Right_ Spade thought to herself. _I'll no longer think of Diamond Winters..._

            ~~

            Inside the main building of Babylonia was a huge lobby with the ceiling stretching out so high that you soon lost the vision to the shadows and are forced to guess just how high the ceiling went.

            There was a woman who appeared to be the secretary sitting at a desk separating two silver elevators. 

            They approached the desk and the woman was typing into a computer with fury. Draco stared at the monitor; he'd never seen one of them before.

            "Excuse me," Harry said and the woman looked up at him, but continued to type away. "Can you tell us where to find... uh… Aster… Straeh?" 

            "Do you have an appointment?"

            "Um…no… we're actually here to get a medallion..."

            "I'm sorry but Ms. Aster... a medallion?"

            "Yes."

            "Hold on for a moment." The woman pressed a round button on the wall behind her desk.

            "What is it?" A voice asked from the speaker.

            Draco stared at that too...

            "Two gentlemen are here… they want to see you about… the medallion…"

            There was a silence and then the box said, "Send them up."

            "Twelfth floor, the second door on your right." The woman said and pointed to an elevator.

            "Thank you." Harry said and Draco and he got on the elevator and pressed 12.

            The building was cold, kind of like ice, which was appropriate, considering it looked like sparkling blue frost.

            "They have weird contraptions here." Draco said, referring to the computer and the intercom. 

            "They were Muggle contraptions." Harry said, watching the yellow numbers rise to their floor.

            They arrived on the twelfth floor and walked down the hall two doors and to the right.

            Harry knocked.

            "Come in." A voice said and they did.

            Sitting in an expensive looking desk was a young woman with messy dark hair. She was wearing a blue business suit and her glasses were slightly pointed at the ends.

            "Aster Straeh, you are?" She said and motioned for them to sit.

            They did.

            "Draco Malfoy," Draco said and looked at Harry who introduced himself as well.

            "Now, I was informed that you would like to challenge me for the medallion?" She said in a business like way and it was clear that this situation was much different then when they were after Star's medallion.

            "That's right," Draco said and put his elbows in the desk. "How about you just give it to us right now and save us all the trouble?"

            _Shut up, Dolt._ Harry thought at him and Draco leered back.

            Aster watched this 'exchange' with much interest. She smiled then, "Well I've heard about your previous victory at Quidditch City, against Star Clubs."

            "That's right." Harry said, not trusting Draco to speak for them again.

            "Well," Aster went on. "I've heard it from her, first hand, so I know it's true."

            "You know her then?" Draco asked.

            Aster laughed, "Well of course I do. She's a _very_ important friend. Anyways, I accept your challenge and as such, I gain the right to choose our lines of combat, agreed?"

            Harry looked at Draco and Draco nodded.

            "Alright then," Aster said, sounding pleased. "Let's begin, shall we?"

            She led them out into the hall and to the elevator again. She got in and bid them to do the same.

            Once they were all on the elevator, she pressed the number 45 and the elevator lurched upward.

            "Where are we going?" Harry asked, a little nervous, he really hoped it wouldn't be something weird like Star's task.

            "To the 45th floor of course," She said; purposely making Harry feel stupid and Draco snickered. She gave him a sportsman like smile and said, "To my 'battle grounds'."

            They arrived on the 45th floor, it was a much faster elevator than that of the one in Quidditch city, and Harry blamed the technology.

            They walked out of the elevator and onto a platform. They view from there was spectacular. There was a huge moon at the far end of the 'room' and the entirety of the room was a light blue and gray haze. There was a cemetery and a very clichéd one at that, with leafless twiggy trees and mist. Opposite from the huge blue moon was a golden sun and each orb had a staircase leading up to other platforms. There looked like a storm raging in a far corner of the room, the lightning touching the ground and a river ran across from one end of the room to the other. There was also what looked like a… bar? In the center of the room.

            "The rules are simple really," Aster said, walking down the staircase and to the floor. "I'll tell you indirectly where to go. You'll receive new instructions upon arriving at your destinations. You have a time limit," She said and pointed towards a clock embedded in the blue moon. "If you can find me before your time runs out, I'll give you the medallion." She then handed a piece of parchment to Harry. 

            "Good fortune to you." She said and then she disappeared.

            "Whoa." Draco said, feeling the air where she had vanished. 

            "So it's like a scavenger hunt then?" Harry said, reading the parchment.

            "Who makes it has no need for it, 

              Who buys it has no use for it,

              Who uses it can neither see nor feel it."

            "What does that mean?" Harry asked, frowning. He never was really good at riddles; Hermione was the one who did that.

            "Honestly, Potter," Draco said rolling his eyes. "It's a coffin."

            And Draco started to walk towards the cemetery. For once in his entire life, Harry was actually kind of glad that Malfoy was there with him instead of his bosom buddy Ron... otherwise, they'd be here forever…

            The arrived at the cemetery and looked around, nothing seemed out of place, or jumped out and grabbed their attention.

            "Cheerful, isn't it?" Harry said sarcastically, this whole place was like glooms-ville.

            There was a soft breeze blowing throughout the room and it made shivers run up and down Harry's spine. Causing goose bumps to litter the flesh of his arms and legs.

            "Look for a piece of paper or something." Draco commanded and Harry did. Draco seemed to know what he was doing. However, after they had combed the whole graveyard and turned up nothing, the blonde was forced to think of alternatives.

            "Well it's got to be here somewhere." Draco said, looking around one more time.

            "We only have an hour." Harry said, glancing at the clock. They had exactly, 50 minutes now.

            "I know." Draco said, retracing his steps again and searching every nook and cranny.

            Harry then looked at the tombstones, they were very odd indeed, instead of names or something someone would expect, condolences to the deceased or whatnot, was a single world. 

            Harry frowned, on one tombstone it said: London, and the next said Bridge…

            "Malfoy! Come here! Look!" Draco made his way back to where Harry was standing. "What is it?"

            "Look at the tombstones, they're spelling something out."

            Draco looked at them, they definitely were.

            "As I went over London Bridge

              I met my sister Jenny

              I broke her neck and drank her blood

              And left her standing empty."

            Draco frowned, that was a hard one.

            "What the hell—" Harry said. "What are these riddles? They make no sense."

            "Well of course they wouldn't to a stupid mind like yours." Draco retorted and left Harry in a huff. He paced the length of the cemetery thinking. As I went over London Bridge… Jenny… broke her neck…

            He came to the edge of the cemetery and turned to double-back.

            Harry was still where he had left him, concentrating it seemed.

            And left her standing empty… 

            "A vampire?" Harry said. 

            "No," Draco replied. "They wouldn't break their victims neck until after they've drank the blood, otherwise it would kill them."

            "How did you know that?"

            "Dark Arts Classes, Potter, don't you pay attention?"

            Harry flushed adorably, "Oh… of course…"

            Draco frowned, this riddle sounded like one he'd heard before… only not as a riddle… what was it? It seemed so familiar… and yet… and yet…

            "What a dumb riddle," Harry said, clearly frustrated. "Stupid Jen."

            Draco thought Harry sounded like a baby, pouting. Stupid Potter…

            Wait… Jen… Jen…  I broke her neck… and drank her blood… and left her standing…

            "Empty! I've got it!" Draco said making Harry jump.

            "What?" Harry asked. 

            "Gin. It's gin… you know, like liquor?"

            Harry growled, "I _know_ what gin is, Malfoy."

            Draco hurried out of the cemetery, _Could have fooled me._

            Harry scowled at him, but said nothing, he was glad he'd figured out the riddle. He would never have gotten that one by himself.

            They walked into the bar and were immediately bombarded with bottles flying at their heads.

            They ducked out of the way and took cover once again on the other side of the door.

            "How are we going to get in there?" Harry asked, a hint of worry in his voice.

            "No need," Draco said picking up a paper that had fallen out of one of the bottles. Draco took a swig from one of the partly destroyed bottles and read the next riddle.

            Harry glanced nervously at the clock. 45 minutes… how many riddles would there be?

"What goes through the door without pinching itself?  
  What sits on the stove without burning itself?  
   What sits on the table and is not ashamed?"

Draco thought about this, was that possible? It clearly had to be an inanimate object, but maybe alive in it's own way… 

"Any ideas?" Harry asked, they were still crouching on the outside of the bar doors.

Draco pushed the broken bottle to Harry and stood up, Harry eyed the liquor and wondered if he should drink some, he decided, _why not?_ And took a gulp, he spit it back out, it was absolutely vile! Draco just laughed at him.

Draco resorted back to pacing, raking his brain for any clues, reading between the lines, and wishing Potter wasn't such a dense idiot.

_Hey!_ Harry had mentally yelled at him, Draco ignored him.

What goes through the door… like a crack in the door? Or the wide open door…?

Without burning itself? … Yes, clearly it wasn't a human or animal…

What sits on the table…

A flashback came into Draco's memory. _"Draco! Don't stand on the table!" _Draco winced; his home life wasn't exactly as glamorous as he pretended it was. _"The only things allowed on the table are the plates and food and the frickin' sunshine."_

Draco looked up suddenly, there was no sun… but there was a replica in the corner of the room!

"The sun!" Draco said, he really was on a roll! 

Harry smiled; maybe they would get through this after all!

            The two boys raced towards the sun, 37 minutes left!

            They climbed up the staircase and onto the landing the 'sun' provided. On a table in the center of the platform lay the next clue. 

"Two words, my answer is only two words.  
  To keep me, you must give me."

Draco frowned, now _this_ one made no sense. 

"Your word." Harry said suddenly and Draco stared at him.

"That's the answer," Harry said, pointing towards the paper in the other boy's hand. "Two words, my answer is only two words. To keep me, you must give me your word."

Draco raised a flawless eyebrow, "Bravo Potter, maybe you have a brain after all."

Harry just rolled his eyes. 

But what did that **mean**?

"Your word… your word…" Harry was running it through his mind, what did it mean? Where were they supposed to go now?

Draco groaned and ran a hand through his hair; their time was running out. They'd figured out the riddle, but it wasn't pointing in any particular direction.

Suddenly Harry grabbed him by the shoulders and said, "Say you give me your word!"

Draco blinked, puzzled, what the hell? 

"Say it," Harry went on. "Say you give me your word."

Draco frowned, "……I give you my word."

They waited, nothing happened.

"That what?" Harry said, letting go of Draco's shoulders but still with an excitement in his tone.

Draco raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"You give me your word that what?" Harry said, growing patient.

            Draco frowned, "I don't know!"

            "Make something up!"

            "Fine. I give you my word I won't strangle you while you sleep. There, happy?"

            Still nothing happened, Harry snapped his fingers, "And I give you _my_ word that I'll let you have the ring of power in return for helping me save Sirius..."

            Draco blinked, he was not expecting that.

            "Granted you don't use it for some kind of evil thing." Harry added.

            Draco rolled his eyes, "I'm not planning on becoming the next Voldemort, Potter."

            Harry looked at him skeptically. 

            "I'm telling the truth!" Draco cried.

            "Fine, I believe you." Harry returned, in a lower tone than before.

            "Look," Draco said, not believing any of this ridiculous situation. "I give you my word I won't use the stupid ring of power to destroy the whole world, ok? I just want it to defy my father and the death eaters, they'll kill me when they realize I've decided not to join, I know too much already."

            Harry nodded slowly. "Ok then..."

            Then a loud ring echoed through the air and a piece of paper floated down from the sky to them.

            Harry caught it,

"I am, in truth, a yellow fork.  
From tables in the sky  
By inadvertent fingers dropped.  
The awful cutlery.  
Of mansions never quite disclosed.  
And never quite concealed  
The apparatus of the dark.  
To ignorance revealed." 

"Well that ones easy," Draco said and pointed to the northeast corner. "Lightning."

"Right," Harry said hurrying toward the staircase back down to the floor. "I knew that."

They arrived at the lightning corner and found the next clue on a sizzling stump; they hurriedly made their way out of that area when they were almost struck by lightning. 

"Make me thy lyre, even as the forests are.  
What if my leaves fell like its own --  
The tumult of thy mighty harmonies  
Will take from both a deep autumnal tone"

They looked at each other, neither one of them had a clue. 

"25 minutes left." Harry said and Draco glared at him. Harry shrugged, "No pressure or anything." He said sarcastically.

Draco's glare intensified, "Well this would go a lot faster if you had a few more brain cells!"

"What! I solved that 'word' one!"

Draco ignored him, Harry was starting to realize why Draco hated being ignored so much, it was very irritating.

They were very quiet as they thought and the room was silent too... Harry was half expecting to hear an owl or some kind of noise, but the only sound was that of the wind and the river.

"It keeps talking about a song or something." Draco said, reading over the clue again.

"There's no music here." Harry pointed out.

"I'm not deaf." Draco retorted.

"So," Harry said. "What could make music, that we can't hear…"

"Maybe we can hear it." Draco said, standing up straighter.

"Huh?" Harry asked, his eyebrows knitting.

"Shush, listen." Draco said and they were very quiet.

Again, the only sound was of the wind and the river.

"The wind." Harry said slowly, remembering a story from his childhood about a song playing on the wind that no one could hear.

"Precisely." Draco grinned and put a hand into the air, trying to find where the wind was coming from.

"The west." He said and they followed the breeze to an air generator.

"Simulated wind, very clever." Draco said, pulling a scrap of paper from behind it.

Harry looked nervously at the clock, 15 minutes left.

"This darksome burn, horseback brown,  
His rollock highroad roaring down,  
In coop and in comb the fleece of his foam  
Flutes and low to the body falls home"

The minutes ticked by… they couldn't think of anything.

"Flutes," Harry muttered. "Great, more music…"

"Hey!" Draco said suddenly. "Brilliant! More music, the only other thing making sounds is the river!"

"Great!" Harry said and they both ran towards the river.

EIGHT MINUTES LEFT!

The arrived at the river and were surprised to see hundreds of bottles floating around in it.

"Oh no." Harry moaned, realizing that they'd have to look through them to find the next not.

"Hurry!" Draco yelled and they started grabbing bottles.

Try again next time 

_Sorry, try again_

_            Boo on you_

_            Suckers, next!_

_            Keep looking pal_

_            HA HA!_

_            Keep it up Buddy!_

It wasn't here! Time was running out!

            FIVE MINUTES LEFT!

            Suddenly a bottle made of blue glass, the same as what the buildings outside were made of, caught Harry's attention.

            "That one!" He shouted and raced for it, growing increasingly wetter in the process.

            Draco cringed as Harry dove into the water, those were luxurious boots!

            "Catch!" Harry yelled and tossed the bottle at him.

            Draco caught it, with seeker reflexes and ripped the parchment from the bottle.

            Harry climbed out of the water and made his way over to Draco, three minutes!

            "What does it say!?" Harry asked, he was out of breath and panicking. Also dripping wet and cold.

            Draco stared at him and then back down at the paper and read it out loud.

"My love, when I gaze on thy beautiful face,  
Careering along, yet always in place --  
The thought has often come into my mind  
If I ever shall see thy glorious behind."

Harry wasn't aware he was blushing until it was too late, but he was saved from any explanations when a loud buzzer rang and a voice called out, "One minute left!"

Harry was sure he saw a hint of red on Draco's cheeks too, but then it could be from the rush and the anxiety of their precious last minute.

Draco was scraping every part of his brain for any information. There had to be something! Anything!

Suddenly it came to him. "The moon!"

Harry and he looked up and gazed at the artificial moon, giving off artificial moon light…

…All the way… at the other… side of the room…

"RUN!" Draco cried, wrenching Harry to his feet and they took off in a mad sprint towards the moon.

5 seconds left! 

Almost there!

Four…

Three…

They raced up the stairs, leading to the platform of the moon.

Two…

The last step!

One.

They collapsed on the moon's platform, out of breath and they were both certain they had never run so fast and desperately in their entire lives.

Someone was clapping…

They looked up to see Aster, sitting on a stool, a Nintendo system was carelessly forgotten behind her, clapping slowly and loudly.

"Bravo," She said, getting to her feet. "I must say I am impressed."

Draco took another gulp of air and got to his feet, Harry followed suit.

They were still breathing hard, but relieved. 

Aster smiled, "You are the first to ever make the time limit, the rumors from Quidditch city are true."

They were still out of breath.

            She then began to pace around them, as if sizing them up.

            "Hm…" She said and then took Draco by the arm. "You. Draco, was it?"

            Draco nodded; he had most of his breath back by now.

            She smiled and endearing smile, "You are no doubt the brains of this duo?" 

            Draco smirked; he wasn't going to argue with that.

            _Yeah right._ Harry thought, Draco just sneered at him.

            Aster turned Draco's head to face her again.

            "You could be powerful, you know," She said and Draco stared at her. What was she going on about? "Here," She went on, "You could be a very powerful person. You could rule and free of any problems and hardships."

            Harry had caught his breath as well and was staring at them now. What was going on?

            "Oh yeah?" Draco said, intrigued. Aster grinned. "Oh yes, you could have so much and you'd only have to give so little."

            Draco had often dreamed about something like that.

            "Here in this world, all you need is to know the right people and you're in. I could make you a very powerful person." She purred.

            "Hey!" Harry cried, what was she up to?

            "Shut up, boy." Aster spat at him, Harry was taken aback.

            "Why, you could even rule over Remellus one day," She said turning back to Draco. "All you need to do is one simple task, and it could be done!"

            Draco was thinking over this in his mind. He'd never have to go back to that awful manor, he'd never be told what to do or be sucked into death eater business, he could stay here forever and live like a king… what did he have to do?

            _Draco! _Harry's mind was trying to talk to him, but he ignored it.

            "Yes…" Aster said. 

            Harry was certain, she was hypnotizing him in some way, her voice was as that of a seductress. She'd done this before.

            "Yes…" Draco said, his eyes were hazing, the images of all that could be his had entered his mind and he was liking what he saw.

            "Do you want it?" Aster asked, her arms were on his shoulders.

            "Yes…" Draco said, he did. He really did. What else could he want more?

            "Then…" Aster grinned.

            "What do I have to do?" Draco asked, he wanted what she was offering… power… control… king… fortune… he promised Harry he wouldn't take over the third dimension like Voldemort, but _this_ dimension was never part of that deal.

            Aster walked over to Harry and grabbed his arms, pinning them behind him.

            "What the—" Harry was saying. She was strong, he couldn't get loose.

            Draco eyed him with concern… but that quickly faded.

            "One task," Aster said. Her voice still strangely hypnotic. "Just one."

            Draco wanted the power…

            "What?" He asked, stepping towards her and Harry.

            "Bring something to him." She said, Harry struggled but that soon proved to be futile.

            "What?" Draco asked again, taking another step forward.

            Aster grinned, perfect. "To those joyous, I bring pain

To those in pain I bring solace

While I bring the others rain.

No one knows what is beyond me

No one can ever foresee

The past, the present, and the future

Could start and end with me."

            She still held onto Harry tight and nothing Harry could do was working.

            Draco frowned, concentrating. Then realization dawned across his smooth face. A ripple of a strange emotion, "Death?" He said quietly. 

            Aster nodded. "That's right, complete just this one task and have anything you've ever dreamed of."

            A sword materialized out of thin air and Draco took it.

            Aster smiled. "Yes… just a quick swipe and all your dreams could come true…" She said, Harry was panicking now… Malfoy wouldn't! No way… but then… it was Malfoy… AH!

            Draco was examining the sword, it was very sharp and he pricked his finger, he sucked on it gently to stop the bleeding.

            "Malfoy!" Harry tried, "Don't!" He wouldn't kill him… he couldn't!

            But Draco could have it all… everything he dreamed of and more… all he had to do was end his school rival's life… simple really… and in reality he'd be doing the boy a great favour… living wasn't that great anyway, right?

            Again Harry was trying to contact him telepathically but Draco was blocking him out.

            Draco's face changed… and both Aster and Harry knew… he had made a decision…

            Draco stepped towards them, the sword in hand.

            "No!" Harry cried but Aster put a hand over his mouth. Still holding his hands tight behind his back. 

            Draco still came forward, determination playing on his features.

            Harry squeezed his eyes shut; well this was it for the boy-who-lived.

            Draco raised the blade… and struck.

            Aster cried out and stumbled backwards.

            The wound wasn't fatal but she was wounded.

            Harry was freed from her vice grip and he stumbled forward into Malfoy.

            "Ruling the world would get boring fast," Draco said, throwing the sword down at Aster's feet. "Besides," He continued, turning to Harry. "I'm going to have fun holding this over your head."

            For the first time, in a very, very long, long time, Harry smiled a genuine smile.

            Aster got to her feet, a hand pressed to her side where Draco had jabbed her.

            She was grinning and shaking her head.

            "Wow," She said, once she was on her feet. She looked up at them, Draco still had that determined air and Harry had a goofy smile on his face. She laughed, "Now that I wasn't expecting. No one's ever been able to turn that offer down before."

            Harry frowned and Draco said, "You've done this before?"

            Aster nodded, sitting down on the stool. "Of course, it is part of this trial after all."

            "It is?" Both boys asked in unison. 

            Aster nodded again. "You're the first to ever pass that one."

            "I thought you said we were the first to reach the time limit?"

            "I lied."

            "Oh," Draco said, looking a little flustered. "Then I guess I shouldn't have stabbed you…"

            Aster waved her hand at him, dismissing it. "I'll be fine, I heal fast."

            She sent him a wicked grin, "He must mean a lot to you." She said motioning towards Harry.

Draco's eyes widened and he was about to snap at her but she raised her finger to silence him, "One more." She said and stood. "What does man love more than life  
Fear more than death or mortal strife  
What the poor have, the rich require,  
and what contented men desire,  
What the miser spends and the spendthrift saves  
And all men carry to their graves?"  

            Draco frowned. "Nothing."

            Aster smiled and slid the necklace from her neck, she handed it to him. "Congratulations, the Raven Medallion. You've earned it."

            "Can I ask you a question?" Harry said, stepping forward toward the young woman.  

            "You just did, but ask another." She said, poking at her cut and acting as if it wasn't hurting in the least.

            He asked, "What would you have done if Draco had chosen what you were offering him?"

            Aster cocked her head to the side and smirked, "I would have killed you both."

            This shocked both boys and she shook both their hands. "Good luck with your journey," She said and left the room through a door inside the moon.

            ~~~

            Lupin paced back and forth, Harry's letter hadn't come… they had told him to write every three days, right?

            He decided to contact the Dursley's.

            ~~~

            Hermione and Ron were sitting outside; they'd just finished talking with Harry. They had got another Medallion. Things were looking up.

            "Ron! Hermione!" Ginny suddenly cried from the doorway. "You better come inside! Lupin just floo in."

            Ron and Hermione went inside and were greeted with grim faces.

            "Ron," Lupin said nodding at them, "Hermione,"

            He stopped talking for a moment and looked like he was gathering his thoughts, and then he continued, "I don't want you two to worry too much okay? No getting excited, alright?"

            What was he talking about?

            "This may come as a shock to you… but…" He looked at them, very seriously. "Harry's missing."

            Hermione and Ron glanced at each other, both with a knowing look in their eyes.

            "I contacted his aunt and uncle and they said that they thought we'd come and got him during the night of a few days ago…"

            Hermione sighed, "We know."

            It was time to come clean…


	8. The Plot Thickens

The Other Side of The Veil

n Chapter Eight—

A/N: Thank you to all who reviewed! I'm glad you liked my riddles, although I didn't make all of them up, but some I did.

**_More:_** For Kate, who is my number 50 reviewer! ^_~ For you, girl!~

~Even when it seems as though nothing's going right

   and you just want to give up

   if you close your eyes

   you can see the world within your heart~

~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^

            Hermione and Ron held their breaths and waited for the calm before the storm to end.

            Most of the order had arrived with Lupin so it was probably going to be really loud… yep… here it comes…

            "WHAT!?"

            "How could you just let---"

            "Expected more from you—"

            "…should be ashamed…-"

            "-very disappointed…"

            Lupin felt as though he really should be yelling at the two teenagers as well, but the choruses running through his head chanting, 'Sirius is alive! He's alive!' left really no room for anger.

            Hermione and Ron waited out the tempest. When finally even Mrs. Weasley grew tired of scolding them, Hermione took the momentary silence to jump in, "It's my fault really. Ron didn't know anything about it until Harry and Malfoy were already gone. I've been keeping a journal of everything Harry's told us."

            "You've been keeping in touch with him?"

            "Oh yes," Hermione handed the arrow pendant over. "I thought it'd be a good idea, just in case… well you know."

            Lupin looked it over; he couldn't help but be impressed with Hermione's cleverness and told her so. Mrs. Weasley glared at him and Hermione beamed.

            ~~~

            "Harry?"

            Harry jumped and Draco groaned. They had been just about asleep and the pendant started talking.

            Harry frowned and took it out of his bag's pocket.

            Again, "Harry?"

            Harry's eyes widened. "Lupin?"

            "Good, are you alright?"

            "Uh—yes… um… where's Hermione and Ron?"

            "They've told us everything Harry. I must say, I am very disappointed in you." Lupin said. Even though he didn't sound like it.

            "I know." Harry said trying to mask a grin.

            "You should come back," Lupin stated. "Let the professionals handle this—"

            "No! You can't send professionals, we're not even sure how to go back ourselves yet."

            "But Harry—"

            "We've got two medallions already, only four left and then we can get Sirius and figure out how to get back." Harry knew he was making their journey seem a lot easier then it actually was…but he felt as though Sirius' disappearance was entirely his fault therefore it was his duty to rescue him.

            "Where is Sirius?" Lupin asked. 

            "He's being held captive by the ruler of this dimension."

            There was silence… well it did sound silly, like something out of a fairy tale.

            "We're doing fine on our own." Harry added. "If you have to send someone, only send one, not a whole army."

            There was a silence again and then Lupin said, "Alright Harry, we'll only send one person."

            Harry repressed a groan, they _were_ doing fine on their own! But he also knew that it couldn't be expected that all the grown-ups would calmly sit back and wait for the two boys and Sirius to return.

            "Draco?" The pendant spoke again, "Your parents think you've run away… I think we should tell them—"

            "No!" Draco shouted, grabbing the pendant from Harry. "You can't tell them anything—do you know what will happen to me if—"

            "Alright, we won't tell them then."

            Draco looked immensely relieved.

            "Harry," Lupin said and Harry took the pendant back. "We'll figure something out and then we'll send someone, so be expecting it, alright?"

            "Okay," Harry said, it was inevitable. "Can we go back to sleep now?"

            "Oh, I'm sorry, of course."

            They closed with pleasantries.

            "So they ratted us out." Draco muttered and Harry knew he was talking about Ron and Hermione.

            "It wasn't their fault," Harry returned. "They would have noticed I was gone sooner or later. I'm the boy-who-lived, remember? They'd assume I was imprisoned by Voldemort until proven otherwise."

            Draco didn't answer.

            Harry sighed and quickly fell asleep also.

            ~~~

            "Your fortunes will improve in the future…" A woman, with curly black hair that looked as though someone had sewn diamonds into it, said. She also had brown eyes that looked red sometimes. "You can't blame everything on yourself," She was wearing a red wrap over black pants and a red crop-top. She also had a black veil covering her nose and mouth. She was gazing into a crystal ball.

            "Things happen for a reason."

            Suddenly she frowned and gazed deeper into the crystal ball.

            Star sat up straighter, "What is it?" She asked.

            "Oh no…" The gypsy-like young woman said and looked up towards the double doors, which swung open.

            Aster stumbled in; one side of her blue-suit was red from bloodstains.

            Star gasped loudly and ran to her side.

            The gypsy went to Aster's side too. "So you've come to me," The gypsy said. Helping to lay Aster down on a couch and ordering a servant to get some medical supplies.

            Aster managed a grin at the gypsy. "I knew you'd help me, even after everything…" she said.

            The gypsy just nodded.

            "What happened?" Star asked. Making sure Aster was comfortable.

            "She's lost her medallion to the travelers from the third dimension." The gypsy answered instead.

            "I lied to them too," Aster said, holding Star's hand. "I told them I'd be fine…" She cringed as a throb of pain rocked her body.

            "Why did they hurt you?" Star asked and took the bandages and medicines the servant brought to them.

            "Well I'm sure he wouldn't have if I hadn't provoked him… the blonde one's got quite a temper and will…" Aster said eyeing the peroxide warily. "Kind of protective too…"

            "Oh!" The gypsy said suddenly, staring out at the city below, from the window.

            Aster and Star looked up at her. "What?"

            The gypsy turned from the window to face them, a grim expression on her visage.

            "I foresee that this tale is about to get much more complex."

            And unlike Trelawney, Diamond Winters was never wrong.

            ~~~

            "Well it could have been worse." Ron said.

            "I know, you're right." Hermione replied. 

            They were sitting on the roof of the Weasley's run-down garage. 

            They needed a break from all the things going on around them. Out here was… quiet… peaceful even…

            After the grown-ups had stopped talking to Harry, they began arguing and bickering about who should go and what would happen and owls had been flying in and out of the burrow all night. Dumbledore had been informed and he was currently on his way over here.

            The sky was clear that night and you could see each and every one of the stars.

            A voice called through the darkness, "Ron! Hermione! Come in here please! The Headmaster has arrived!" 

            Ron sighed, "What do they want us for?"

            Ron jumped from the roof and brushed his hands on his pants.

            "You coming?" He looked up at Hermione. 

            "Yeah, hold on." She replied, she was trying to figure out how to get down from the roof; it wasn't too far up, about two meters but still.

            Ron grinned, "You can't be scared of heights. You've flown on a Hippogriff and everything!"

            Hermione leered at him. "I'm not!"

            Hermione slid from the roof with a small 'eep' and Ron caught her.

            A small blush crept across Hermione's features; they'd never been quite this close before…

            Ron's face was growing redder as well… for some reason; they couldn't quite step away from each other just yet.

            "…Herm… I…"

            "Kids! Are you coming!?"

            They jumped away from each other.

            "Yeah Mom!" 

            And they hurried inside, both flushed and a little on the shaky side.

            ~~~

            "Your highness! Remellus, I think you are making a severe mistake!"

            "Sapphire, none of my decisions are mistakes!"

            "Oh… of course… well I think you should reconsider! Giving Black free roam of the castle grounds and beyond, could prove very taxing!"

            "How so?"

            "He could escape!"

            "Dele! Sirius is _not_ an enslaved in my castle! He is a guest and will be treated like one."

            "Your highness, he's from another dimension—"

            "You've never stuck me as the dimension-ist type."

            "Your highness, do you expect me to believe that he fell out of the sky and landed exactly and precisely on top of you by accident? He could be an assassin! He could be a spy!"

            "I don't believe Sirius is in espionage and I won't hear you speak ill of him!"

            "Your infatuation with this man is—"

            "I said enough!"

            Sapphire shut up. She knew better then to irk the king too much.

            "Silver!" He called and Spade stepped forward. "I want my spiritual adviser."

            Spade and Sapphire glanced at each other.

            "I don't think you need a spiritual advisor." Sapphire said, Spade was acting fidgety all of a sudden.

            "Why not? I need help in a personal matter, so if you please…"

            "Your majesty, you can talk to me about anything…"

            "Sapphire please, I'm in a personal predicament and I'd appreciate help from the spiritual world."

            "But—"

            "Call her!"

            "No need, your highness, here I am."

            Diamond Winters suddenly appeared at the large window. 

            "How did you get in here!" Spade cried. She was the head of the guards, this castle was supposed to be impenetrable. 

            Diamond leaned her head to one side; it looked a little strange considering all the veils, necklaces, and such that she was wearing. "Are you trying to keep me out, Silver?"

            Spade was about to reply but Diamond went on, "A good advisor should know and be able to tell when her client is in trouble and needs her help."

            Remellus beamed and let her sit in his throne.

            A servant pulled a table up to the throne and the king sat on the other side.

            Diamond laid out her 'equipment': crystals, Tarot cards, a wooden box, a silver dagger, many charms, and other little knick and knacks.

            "I think you should send your extras out," Diamond said and Remellus waved the servants away until only, he, Diamond, Spade, and Sapphire were left. Diamond shook her head, still not satisfied. "Them too, they may influence your spiritual vibrations."

            "Oh yes of course." Remellus said and sent Spade and Sapphire out of the room, despite their protests.

            Everyone knew just how much of a power Diamond had on Remellus, it was said that she could make him do anything… yet, of all the royal council and court; she was the one who rarely came by.

            She was an honest woman and would not use Remellus in such a way unless it was absolutely necessary. She _could_ make him do anything, of that she was quite sure.

            Sapphire growled, low in her throat, on the other side of the door. "Damn her!" 

The inner council, that being: Sapphire, Spade, Diamond, Star, and Aster. Were wary of Diamond, they had misjudged her before and that proved to be a great danger to them, plus, with her in foul spirits over Spade, they were all worried she'd do something stupid, like make Remellus go on a murder spree… with her, you never knew.

            The inner council had taken it upon themselves to avoid Diamond, best they could these days. They even considered having her thrown off the council, but they all had to admit that she was too important and had great power. They couldn't afford to have her plotting against them… that would ruin everything…

            ~~~

            Harry blearily twisted his body to face the other way, then back to the left… he couldn't get comfortable… of course he should have been used to this by now, but lack of sleep, was something he could not afford to have these days, not with Sirius on the line. Who knew what they were doing to him?

            She turned again and spotted the place where Malfoy was lying… or _should_ have been lying… he wasn't there.

            Harry sat up, yep, Draco was gone all right.

            What the hell? 

            _Malfoy, where are you?_

            Silence…

            Harry unzipped the front of the tent and walked out into the dark, they were camping near a lake, Malfoy had insisted they do so, so they could wash themselves up.

            So in turn, they had washed up and bathed. It was good to be clean again.

            Harry scanned the area; he had a pretty good idea where he might be…

            Harry walked down to the lake and sure enough, Malfoy was there, sitting on a log and staring out at the waves.

            "What are you doing?" Harry asked, coming up behind him.

            "I couldn't sleep." Was all Malfoy said, he continued to stare out at the silver waters, glimmering in the moonlight like waves of metal. The stars were seen perfectly from here and there were specks of maroon clouds hovering about the earth.

            They were quiet for a long, long time. Just sitting (and standing) there… the waves crashing on the shore and neither one of them saying a word.

            Then, "Don't stand behind me, Potter." Harry was making him nervous.

            "Where should I stand then?"

            Draco was going to say, _back in the bloody tent._ But instead said, "I don't care."

            Harry then sat down beside him.

            _Great,_ Draco thought, making sure Harry couldn't read his mind. _I come here to be alone and he still shows up. Why can't he just leave me in peace?_

            But in reality, he was actually quite glad Harry had come looking for him…

            They were silent again, even longer this time. 

            A nightingale was singing somewhere and an owl flew by, hooting a comforting spell to join the nightingale's song.

            A dense wind picked up and Harry asked the question he'd been thinking about for a long while now, "Malfoy, why don't you want to be a Death Eater?"

            If Draco was surprised at this question, he didn't show it. He just turned and fixed his gaze on Harry, "Why don't you want to be a Death eater?" 

            Harry frowned. "Because they're evil and manipulative and want to take everything for themselves. They want a world where there is no peace. A hell on earth… I don't want that."

            Draco nodded, "And you think I do?"

            Harry shook his head, "How could anyone?"

            "The death eaters are a bunch of fucking servants. They can't think for themselves, all they do is follow orders. Voldemort promises them power and fortune and everything they want, they can't tell if he's lying or not until he kills them… I hate being used… always have. I'm not about to let myself be overpowered by some pompous bastard who thinks everyone should die just because he's more powerful than them. I may not like Mudbloods and Muggles, but I'm not about to go murder them all because of it."

            "Oh…" Was all Harry could say, for as long as he could remember, he thought Malfoy was just that. A pompous bastard who'd enjoy the torturing and killing of Muggle-borns and Half-breeds. Apparently not, there was so much to know about Malfoy, and for some reason Harry wanted to know it all.

             "How did you get that scar on your arm?" Harry asked, he'd seen a scar on Malfoy's right arm, it was a small one, but he'd noticed it.

            "Why the hell are we discussing my life?" Draco said suddenly angry. "What is this, share time?"

            Harry turned away. "Fine."

            They were quiet again.

            "My father." Draco said, not looking at him, just staring at the waters.

            Harry didn't say anything. He wanted to ask how, but it was clear that it pained Draco to talk about it… Harry couldn't imagine a father scarring his own son… even the Dursleys never went that far… but this was Lucius Malfoy they were talking about… if anyone could disfigure their own son, it'd be him.

            So for the most of the night, they sat out in the open. Gazing at the water as if it were some extraordinary kind of magic… Maybe it was…. What else could cause rivals such peace between each other?

            ~~~

            Sirius walked around the Opal city, it was based on a hill so there were many downhill/uphill ways. Sirius noted how 'olden day' they were. There were no cars and he had seen a cart with a horse pass by a couple of times.

            It would have been peaceful if it weren't for the poor display the people were in. It was obvious that Remellus kept the people in his iron grip through fear and keeping provisions from them.

            It was a sad sight, a child was standing in the middle of the street crying for her father, and people were staring at Sirius oddly and backing away.

            When he'd had enough, he went back to the castle. A guard stopped him in the hall, "The king wishes to see you in his throne room."

            Sirius sighed, what was it now?

            He walked passed Sapphire and Spade in the hall, they looked extremely peeved. He entered the throne room.

            "Ah Sirius! You're finally here. This is Diamond, she wants to talk to you."

            The girl was dressed like a gypsy and Sirius frowned, "I don't believe in fortunetellers."

            "Nonsense," Remellus said and sat Sirius down in the chair he'd been sitting in moments before. "Diamond is, the best fortuneteller in the world."

            Sirius didn't exactly trust this girl, she was wearing a veil that covered most of her face, save her eyes, and he knew that people in masks and veils could not be trusted.

            "Remellus, I will need to speak with him, alone."

            Remellus frowned.

            "Vibrations, remember?" She said and her eyes had a look in them that suggested she was smiling.

            Remellus studied them and then nodded. He left.

            "Now," Diamond said and turned back to Sirius. She pulled a crystal ball towards her. "Shall we begin?"

            "I told you, I don't believe in this crap." He took his wand out of his pocket and threw it towards the ceiling and then caught it again. He used to do this when he was in detention and had nothing better to do.

            He leaned back in his chair, causing the two front legs to left off the ground.

            "Shuffle the cards please." She said and handed him a Tarot deck.

            Sirius rolled his eyes but did what she asked; she'd have to tell him something very significant if she wanted him to believe in her.

            She spread the cards out and made mental notes.

            "Well," She said after a moment or two. "It seems that there are quite a few things you are concerned with."

            Sirius rolled his eyes, any one could tell that.

            "The king is kind to you and you are grateful, be he wants something you are not prepared to give," She went on. Sirius pretended like he wasn't paying attention. Lupis could have just told her that…

            "There is someone else," She said and Sirius still didn't believe her, wasn't that just a natural assumption? "Someone who you've known for a long time," 

_Hogwash I say._

 "A dear friend," 

_She's guessing._

"Someone you've shared secrets with," 

_Well obviously, if they're a dear friend…_

"Someone who… resembles Remellus in some ways… and in others… not…"

            Sirius sat straight at this part, _Surely she was guessing…_

"Ah, I see a wolf… a wolf and a full moon… do these symbols mean anything to you?"

            Sirius slowly nodded his head. She gave him a small smile, "The moon is a symbol of love… loyalty…"

            Sirius stared at the girl and her tarot pack and crystal ball, she was making this up! She had to be!

            "I see how you came to be here…" She said. "A fight, a duel with a relative… a duel to the death, it was to be. And then you fell… I see your thoughts… I hear them…" She had her eyes closed now. "Your last thoughts upon entering this world were…of your hate toward your relative and how you were sure you were going to die… and ofthe pain you were feeling and the regret of not opening your heart to the one associated with the moon sooner." She opened her eyes and made eye contact with him. "Am I right?"

            Sirius stared at her, "Unbelievable."

            She grinned at him, although he couldn't be sure with all those veils. "You are here for a purpose, you realize?"

            "What?"

            "You can bring the people of this world, salvation."

            "What?" He asked again.

            "Surely you realize the power you have over the king? He _will_ listen to you. I believe you can ask him anything and he will obey… you could ask him to feed his starving people… let them be free…"

            Sirius shook his head, "Naw, I'm pretty sure Lupis has his mind made up."

            "That is where you are wrong, you must understand, Lupis is not as he appears to be… he is corrupted… he feels compassion towards his people, yet he is terrified if he lets it show he'll fall to ruin and his emperor will be lost. He feels their pain, yet he is powerless against his own fear."

            Sirius wasn't sure what she was getting at, but the throne room doors opened suddenly, ending their little meeting.

            "Dinner will be served soon." Sapphire said, sending a glare in Diamond's direction. What was she telling him?

            "Thank you." Diamond said, coldly and stood.

            "Won't you join us for dinner?" Remellus asked cheerfully, addressing Diamond.

            "Oh… I mustn't…" She said getting to her feet.

            "Rubbish, you will join us in the grand hall, will you not?"

            "Yes your majesty, thank you."

            "Very good, let's go then, shall we? Sirius? Diamond? Sapphire?"

            They all headed towards the grand hall.

            ~~~

            They were served the usual strange food that Sirius didn't know, but at least it tasted good.

            "I must thank you again for your council and quick concern." Remellus said, smiling at his spiritual advisor.

            She nodded and smiled as well. She had changed for dinner and the veil and bandana she wore on her head and face were gone. Sirius noticed that she was really pretty… almost unnaturally, he wondered if she was really human…

            Spade was 'not' looking at Diamond… who cared if Diamond happened to be the most beautiful woman in the world? Certainly not Spade… Sapphire rolled her eyes, yeah sure.

            ~~~

            Harry and Draco had got a late start, since they both had slept in. They hurriedly packed their things and the tent and followed the compass to the north. 

            After a three-hour trudge through the damp weather that was warning of rain, they spotted a city in the distance. 

            Harry frowned, "The medallion isn't there." He said, looking at the city and then back down to the compass.

            "Well we're stopping anyway." Draco said stubbornly.

            "Why? We'd only be wasting time! We need to save Sirius!"

            Draco pointed up toward the sky. "Breath Potter, I've no intention of keeping you from your precious criminal godfather, but it's going to rain and I suggest we find some shelter unless you're keen to get your back full of needles again."

            Harry knew he was right, they continued on their way towards the city growing ever closer. "And he's not a criminal." Harry said under his breath.

            Draco just shrugged.

            ~~~

            "What are you playing at?!" Spade and Sapphire had cornered Star and Aster in one of the Opal Castle's Halls. 

            "I don't know what you are talking about." Star said and crossed her arms.

            Sapphire glared at her. "You both went to see Diamond, I know you did."

            "And what if we did?" Aster asked stepping up beside Star.

            "You know we have to be careful around her! She's up to something, I know it! The rule was to stay away from her, and here you are, flouncing after her!"

            "Aster was hurt! She needed help! We all know that Diamond is the best healer around!" Star came to her lover's defence.

            "And what's your excuse?" Spade requested coldly of Star.

            Star didn't reply for a moment, and then she said, "I had lost my medallion, I needed to talk to someone, and God knows that I couldn't talk to either of _you!_ Just because you suffered a pretty nasty break-up, Spade, does _not mean_ Diamond is out to murder us all in our sleep!"

            Sapphire shook her head and turned away, "I'm just being careful, but you had better not have told her anything about our plans." She said in a menacing tone.

            "I didn't." Star said.

            "Good, keep it that way… because if the plan fails, we'll have no choice but to—"

            "Yes, yes, I know already! Sheesh! I'm not stupid!" Star growled at them and took her leave.

            "We won't fail." Aster added and followed soon after.

            "Of course not" Spade said to Sapphire when the other two were gone. "Because Remellus will not be the ruler for much longer…"

~I give you my courage and my prayers

  To help you make it through this world~

**A/N: Mwaha, so what do you guys think? Is the plot thickening? I love you all to pieces! YOU ROCK!******


	9. Lovers and Sinners Welcome!

**The Other Side of The Veil**

Oo, my first flame… it bothered me for a while… and then I remembered that she said that she never actually read my story… well whatever, she needn't waste my time with her own insecurity… 

-Oh! I started writing more because of all your reviews! It's hell now because of school and since I'm a senior in High School now… I can't slack off anymore… of course that doesn't mean I won't ^_~

~Double oh! I solemnly swear I will write more D/H, don't worry about it, I just needed to create the plot and such, now that we all know what the whole plot is… we can have fun!

~Triple OH! I guess I should give you all an explanation for why I write about the OCs so much… well the truth is, I can't help it. I'm creative that way, the other truth is… that secretly I want to be published one day, and of course you can't publish Fanfiction because J.K. would most definitely sue, and so I also need in enhance my own character skills too if I ever hoped to get published… (It's a secret though! Don't tell anyone! ^_~)

Ok, enough! Story time! 

**Chapter Nine**

+-Lovers and Sinners! Welcome to Aficionado!-+

Harry and Draco decided to enter the city not only to escape the threatening rain, but also to the thought that it'd be nice to be able to sleep 'inside' for once.

They picked up their speed and were at the gates of the city in less than an hour.

The skies were darkening quickly and Harry could see lightning in the distance, getting ever closer. 

"How do we get in?" Draco asked, there were no guards and the gates were closed tight.

"How am I supposed to know?" Harry asked, "Try knocking maybe?"

Draco rapped on the gates twice and then there was silence.

"Well that did a lot of—" The gates slowly groaned open.

They got a good look of what was inside, all the buildings were pastel colors, everything from pink to lavender to yellow and back again. 

Harry raised an eyebrow, it certainly was interesting.

"Interesting maybe, but can we stay here?" Draco said and stepped forward.

"Stay out of my head," Harry glared back.

Draco ignored him and entered the city, Harry followed right behind him.

~~~

Hermione was pacing around in the Burrow's living room, they had come to a decision on who was to go but they hadn't told them yet. Whoever it was, had better be good, Harry had said himself that he had no way in knowing how to get back. Surely Dumbledore or someone would know? A book maybe? 

"Sit down, Hermione, you'll pace a hole through the rug." Ron commented from the chair he was sitting in.

"I can't." Hermione said simply and Ron just shrugged.

"Who do you think they'll send?" Ron asked.

"I don't know, Moody maybe? He is an auror."  

Sometimes when Ron and Hermione were really quite they could here bits of the conversation the adults were having in one of the bedrooms.

Things like, "But why should we—"

"Just a kid—"

"Surely we can—"

"I do have ---"

Ron was about to reply when the door to the bedroom the grown-ups were conversing in opened and Tonks stormed out. 

"What was—" 

The grown-ups finally emerged from their meeting place; the expressions on their faces were mixed, from pleased to disappointed and solemn.

"Well we've made a decision." Dumbledore stated.

~~~

No sooner had Harry and Draco stepped inside the city, when they were bombarded on all sides by men and women, throwing flowers at them and placing wreaths around their necks.

"Lovers and Sinners! Dreamers and Pragmatics! Welcome to the city of Aficionado! The city of Love and Happiness!"

Harry looked sideways at Draco and burst out laughing, the boy was totally covered in pink wreaths and pedals! But when Draco arched an eyebrow at him, Harry figured he must look just as silly.

"Are you newly-weds? My gosh, you're so young!" A woman said and placed a hand to her mouth in awe. 

The twin look on Draco and Harry's faces was absolutely priceless, the horrific expression followed by loud protests and accusations.

Draco swiped at the pedals and tried to free himself of all the wreaths, still outraged at the woman's mistake.

After both boys quieted down a little the same woman said, "I'm sorry, my mistake, so you're just dating hm? Well that's okay!"

Again, the widened eyes and open mouths started up but the people before them didn't give them a chance to begin before they were being dragged along by their arms.

"We have a fabulous selection of day spas –"

"But-" Harry tried to cut in.

"Or night spas, if that's more your thing-"

"No, it's—"

"Hot springs, massages, the whole thing-"

"We're really—"

"We have luxurious hotels too! The Golden Star, the Blue Cedar—"

"We're not—"

"And they don't cost anything!"

"Thanks but—"

"You see, our city lives on our belief that love makes the world go 'round, not money, and of course everyone here is glad to work for free! It's peaceful, supportive, people from all over the world come here to get away with their lovers and spouses---"

"HEY!!" Draco finally shouted, much more aggressively than Harry's attempts.

The people around them, quieted immediately.

Draco wrenched his arms away from the woman and man who were holding them and shook his head.

"We are not newly weds! We are not dating! We are not here to 'get away'! We just need a place to stay!" He yelled.

Harry winced, that wasn't polite at all.

The people looked around at each other and then the woman, who appeared to be the leader of this particular group, nodded slowly. "Alright…that's a different story then, you'll just need a hotel then?"

Harry tried to smile politely, "Yes thank you."

"Ok," She said smiling back. "Will you be wanting, oils? Chocolate? Any aphrodisiacs?"

Harry stared, "I beg your pardon?"

The woman blinked, "Well you are sleeping together, aren't you?"

"Oh my GOD!" Draco cried out and stormed away, Harry was a little surprised, he'd never seen Draco lose his cool like this before. What happened to the 'ice' he'd known from school?

The woman stared after him and nobody moved, "Oh dear, did I offend him?"

Harry repressed a frustrated sigh, "No, it's just--- I mean, we're just---" He stopped, what to say? What to say? That they were school rivals that just happened to be traveling together and ended up in some love capitol of the world? "We're just friends, I didn't know this was a lover's city." Harry said and was amazed that he could say that so easily, surely they weren't friends?

"Who's idea was it to come here?" She asked.

"Actually it was his… he-"

"Oh!" The woman placed a hand to her forehead. "I'm so sorry, did I ruin the surprise?"

Harry was confused, "What?"

The woman frowned, "Well that's why he's mad, right? You didn't know what this place was and he brought you here as a surprise and I totally mucked it up, I'm so sorry!"

Harry stared at the woman in disbelief, _What is with this woman!?!_

"No!" Harry slapped a hand to his forehead, that came out so wrong, and this woman seemed to enjoy warping his words to make it sound like something totally and utterly disgusting.

Harry let out a frustrated groan and went to find Draco.

"We have a terrific body food store!" The woman called after him and Harry walked faster.

Draco wasn't even paying attention to where he was walking, he just needed to get away from that woman and her screwed up ideas. How could anyone possibly 'get away' with all these psychos fluttering about trying to recommend them to sensual night spas?

"Hey! Wait!" Harry finally caught up to him; he was still red and a little breathless, but composed none-the-less.

"What are you grinning at?" Draco snarled at him.

Harry laughed and shook his head, "That was just too weird."

Draco's glare intensified. "You don't seem all that upset that people are assuming we're _sleeping together!_"

Harry shrugged, "Look, it's not that big of a deal. So we didn't know what kind of place this was and they misunderstood us, well at least we can stay here for free, right? I don't suppose you brought any of your countless bags of money on this trip?"

Draco crossed his arms and didn't dignify that with an answer.

"Your calmness in this situation is unnerving, Potter."

"Well we can probably find a small hotel or something… look at the sky, the rain's going to be here in less than fifteen minutes, I'd say."

"Fine." Draco said, finally giving in. 

"Good," Harry replied, he was in a strangely cheerful mood. "I'll ask for separate beds ok?"

"Rooms." Draco growled.

"All right," Harry agreed. "Separate rooms and no aphrodisiacs."

~~~

Draco and Harry stared helplessly at the room they would have to share.

All the other rooms had been taken, every single hotel they'd been to prior had been full.

"Well it's got a nice view." Harry said.

"Shut up, Potter." Draco growled.

Their room was small and cramped, they were only staying for one night but it was still a crappy place. No wonder this one was still empty. The comforter was a rich velvety crimson and the floor was bright green.

The walls were filled with butterflies and flowers, it was disgusting really.

"You are sleeping on the cot." Draco said, throwing his bag on the bed.

"Oh no I'm not!" Harry countered, throwing his bag on the bed too.

"Well we're not both sleeping on the bed and I refuse to sleep on that sorry excuse for a mattress!" Draco cried back. It was a ratty old mattress with blue stripes and white lilies. It looked like it was nice once before, but those days were long over and past.

"You are such a spoiled brat, Malfoy! Would it kill you to be considerate for once in your life?!" Harry replied. He'd been sleeping on ratty mattresses and cruddy old beds since he was old enough to realize it, he'd be damned if he let Malfoy get the good bed!

"I don't know," Draco glared. "But I'm in not hurry to find out." With that, Malfoy trotted over to the bed and lay down. "I'm not moving." He said stubbornly, crossing his arms, and staring at the ceiling. 

Harry growled under his breath, oh no, he wasn't going to win that easily.

Draco became aware that Harry was climbing onto the bed beside him.

"What the fuck are you doing?" Draco asked, eyes wide and disbelieving. "Get off." 

Harry glared at him. "Well that's just too damn bad, Malfoy. I'm not moving either."

If it had been possible, Draco's mouth would have dropped to the ground. "You're not serious? You've got to be kidding me." Draco said. There was no way in HELL he was moving now!

"There's no way in hell I'm moving either!" Harry said stubbornly, mimicking Draco and crossing his arms too. 

"Stay the fuck out of my mind," Draco said and inched away from Harry. "And stay over on that side, if you touch me, I swear I will rip your arms off."

"Tsk, tsk, violent when we're sleepy aren't we?"

"Potter…"

"I wouldn't touch you if you paid me." Harry rolled over so he was staring at the wall. 

Draco did the same, opposite wall.

They stayed like that for a long time, neither one talking or thinking anything. 

This was going to be one HELL of the night.

~~~

"What do you mean by 'travel the capitol cities of the world?'" Sapphire asked. Lately the king's requests were becoming more and more outrageous. But taking Black out to see the world? That was just plain insane.

"I need him out of the castle!" Remellus whispered loudly to her. 

Sapphire frowned. "For what purpose?"

Remellus smiled knowingly. "For the surprise party of course!"

Sapphire's frown deepened. "What are you talking about, Lupis?"

Remellus looked around to make sure no one was listening, Sirius was out in the garden to the chances of him overhearing this conversation was zero to nothing.

"The engagement of course…"

***

END OF CHAPTER NINE!

Yes, I have a 'thing' for cliffhangers, I think that if I didn't leave cliffhangers, people would get board and not want to read it anymore. Besides, I needed a nice place to start off on when I start writing the next chapter.

Oh! Any suggestions would be grand! Since, I'm having trouble coming up with them on my own.

Thank you SOOO much for all your reviews! And I'm so sorry that my updates are less frequent, but it's school…. Can you blame me? Of course you can… -_-'


	10. Towards the Snake

The other side of the Mirror 

****

**CHAPTER 10!**

THANK YOU ALL SOOO MUCH! I don't deserve such wonderful reviews from yourselves! You ARE what make me write. I won't give up or quit for you all!

[More A/N and replies at the end! {?_?}]

To – unknown2u, YES! That is EXACTLY what I was going for! Sorry you don't approve of it.

CHAPTER TEN –

Harry awoke to the piercing sunlight coming through the window and stabbing his eyes. He groaned and turned over; sunlight was a cruel first thing in the morning.

He felt his glasses somewhere off to the side of his head and was immensely relieved that he hadn't crushed them during the night. 

As his eyes adjusted to the brightness of the room and the shadows were chased from his head, he was more than a little surprised to realize he was face to face to a certain Slytherin blonde, looked like it was tie for now. Neither one of them had given in and got off the bed.

Harry frowned and considered kicking him or shoving him onto the floor… but stopped.

There was something about the way the sunlight touched his face that made him look… serene…

Before Harry realized what he was doing, he brushed some white-blonde tendrils out of Draco's face. It looked as though the other boy was dreaming of something peaceful.

There was a beauty in the usually vicious Slytherin that Harry had obviously never noticed before, he wondered if Draco had veela blood…

In the middle of his musings he was disturbed by a single statement.

"And just what the hell do you think you're doing?"

Harry started and scooted away from the other boy, a light blush creeping across his features.

"Nothing!" He lied.

Draco sat up, "I knew you were desperate but taking advantage of a sleeping person—"

"Don't flatter yourself, Malfoy! You were clearly dreaming."

Draco frowned and then got up off the bed. "Whatever Potter, I'm taking a shower and don't you dare peep on me!"

"AS IF!" Harry cried.

Draco smirked and made his way into the bathroom. "I'd advise you to take a shower as well, you smell." He said and shut the door.

 Harry just glared at the closed door, how the hell had he ever, even for a moment, think HE was attractive?

On the other side of the door, Draco was quite certain he'd read that certain thought wrong.

~_~_~_~

Spade stared out into the ever-darkening sky… everyday, their plan got more and more complex; sometimes they had to switch things around just to ensure they wouldn't have to abandon it.

Those other dimension travelers weren't supposed to have gotten this far! Spade drifted back to the memory of when she'd first met Draco in his family's library and convinced him to get Harry Potter to help him.

That had been the first step.

But Star was supposed to stop them! They were supposed to be broken by now! 

The inner council was getting weak… 

~_~_~_~_~

"This is by far the STUPIDEST THING YOU'VE ATTEMPTED SO FAR!!" Sapphire was in a fit of hysterics; Lupis' engagement announcement was a very, very bad idea. You couldn't just MARRY someone from another dimension! It was unheard of! 

Lupis watched her with calculating amber eyes; patience was a virtue after all.

"Are you quite finished?" Lupis asked. Sapphire was tugging at her hair.

Sapphire flashed, dangerous eyes at him.

"You can not do this, as your advisor and trusted servant I _must insist_." Sapphire hissed. She could not allow this to happen, it would ruin everything!

Remellus admired his 'ring of power' on his left hand, waiting for Sapphire to cool down. He had no intention of taking Sapphire's words seriously. 

Sapphire realized he was paying her no heed and grew angry.

"Remellus!!" 

The king looked up at her, "Yes?" He said. 

Sapphire seethed and she bit her lip to keep from a violent outburst.

"You can't decide something so quickly…" She said, she had to find a way to slow this process. "You must wait at least another week—"

"But why? Can you not see that this is meant to be?"

"Your majesty… you need to wait until the--- uh… stars are in the right alignment…"

Remellus narrowed his eyes. "Is this true?"

"Yes!! I mean… yes, you can ask Diamond if you want, but I really don't think you should bother more than need be."

Remellus seemed disappointed but naïve as he was, nodded.

"Fine," He said standing up. "One week and then you will plan my wedding, understood?"

Sapphire bit her lip again. This king was _such_ a pansy.

"Yes your majesty." 

~_~_~_~_~_~

Ron and Hermione sat on the edge of Remus' bed. They were helping him pack, or more, just watching him pack and not really helping.

"I thought for sure they'd send Moody." Hermione commented.

Remus gave a thoughtful 'hm' and seemed to be immensely preoccupied.

"Well I do have… er… 'Experience' in this kind of situation." Remus replied and left the room for a moment, when he returned with something in a package and put in a bag as well.

"Experience?" Hermione asked. "What do you mean?"

[A/N: something from another story ^_~] "Oh, just something that happened in the past." Remus muttered and shrunk his bag so it fit in his pocket.

"Are you going right away?" Ron asked, the three of them stood up to leave.

"Yes, if at all possible." Remus said as they made their way outside.

"What are you planning to do when you get there?" Hermione asked, she'd been wondering that for a while now.

Remus stopped, a thoughtful expression on his face and then turned to Hermione and smiled, "You know," He said. "I'm not sure…"

~_~_~_~_~_~

"Oh for Merlin's sake! Give it here!" Draco grabbed the compass out of Harry's hand.

"Hey!" Harry cried but Draco was better off with it, it wouldn't stop spinning for Harry.

The compass stopped, pointed towards the northeast. "What?" Draco frowned, that couldn't be right…

Well like they had a choice, they may have not been psychic or anything close, but even they could sense that something was about to happen and with 'the other side' sending someone to come and help them, they couldn't afford to be slowed down.

They went towards the northeast.

~_~_~_~_~_~_~

"Where are they?" Sapphire asked, coming up behind Spade.

"They're going towards the third medallion… the snake medallion…"

Sapphire was quiet. "What are you going to do?"

Spade smirked, "Stop them of course."

~_~_~_~_~_~_~

Diamond knew that it would be impossible to try and stop their plan, she knew just how idiotic and irresponsible it was and they were most likely going to fail… not to mention endanger innocent lives and maybe even dimensions, but what could she do?

She may have had a bad history, but she was hardly a serial killer, what ever the others were expecting her to do, they were sadly mistaken.

They were heading towards the Snake Medallion… bad things would happen at that domain.

Bad things would be in store for them in Spade Silver's neck of the woods.

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

Remus had listened to far too much instructions and information than he really cared to know. He really had no intension of writing what happened down in a journal someone gave him. No, he only wanted to go in there, get Draco, Harry, and Sirius out and hopefully things would be back to normal… more or less…

But he knew, that that would be far from what in reality would happen.

As he said goodbye to all the people crowded around the veil, he took a deep breath and stepped through…

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

Wow! Chapter 10 already! I promise 11 will be posted sooner than this one was, just because it's already more or less written.

THE CHAPTER NINE REVIEWERS= NOV/2003

_I would have replied to EVERY review, but that would have taken a long, long time and I didn't want to take too much more time… less some of the reviewers began to act on their death threats…    but I will some other chapter… perhaps the next one?_

**_Mrslinzpotter_**: wow, you seem really irked about me not updating… THANKS! ^_^

**_Potterfan2:_** Well here it is, saving you from suspense and boredom.**__**

****

**_Moonlight:_** thank you soo much! I'm so happy you love my story! It loves you too!

**_Miss Lesley:_** sorry for such a long wait, school sucks the life outta you.

**_Almostblonde44:_** YAY! Everyone cheer for her! Congratulations for becoming more open-minded! 

**_VRENDA-SAN:_** I agree with you very much, that pair CAN be exploited by far.

**_Linzswimchik73:_** I'm sorry for killing you! . here it is!

**_Kerstin Malfoy Potter:_** Oh surprise indeed… *evil grin*

**_Noriko M. Chijinu:_** yes… I did… I DID… *laughs evilly* I posted!

**_Fireblade K'Chona: _**Hurray! Thanks for the glomp! ^-^

**_Mencamiel:_** Oh I think you could have GRAND suggestions, been kissed by a muse yet?

**_Shiroiryu144:_** Thank you, I enjoyed writing the twisted mind of an individual quite like myself… although I would have said things out of pure spite, not ignorance. ^_~


	11. Snakes Rules

Chapter 11 

**Yeah, I lied. Forgive me. It really was written, but it deleted itself… jerk.**

I thought I made it perfectly clear… apparently not… 

****

HOMOSEXUAL!!!

If this word strikes fear into your heart, Go to hell, or at least away from this story!

 I'm sorry if you don't like gayness but I DO!! 

So YES

Draco is Gay

Harry is Gay

Remus is Gay

Sirius is Gay

So is the screwed up king, so are those creepy council girls…

GET OVER IT!!

**_Thank you, come again._**

****

**Most likely is not going to be so good… next one should be better… Love You All!**

****

CHAPTER ELEVEN 

**_Into the Emerald_**

****

Harry and Draco arrived in the city of Sepentra at around noon.

It was a strange city indeed…

"It's so—Slytherin…" Harry said. And it really was. All the houses had deep emerald colors and the windows were tinted forest green.

The grass was so well keep that you'd think they worshipped it as a deity.

Harry had never seen so much green in one place.

There was also a lot of silver; the poles of the green street lamps were silver, the sidewalks were silver… it was actually quite uncomfortable for the Gryffindor.

"I could get used to this." Draco said, he looked rather happy to be in such familiar looking grounds.

Harry rolled his eyes, "Come on, the tower's over there."

The tower was, like the others, reaching up towards the sky. It was very silver and it makes one wonder how many people had been blinded by it when the sunlight hit it… that goodness for them that it was cloudy.

Before they could even knock on the tower doors, the doors swung upon and they were ushered inside by silver clad girls. Who's faces looked eerily metallic.

In what seemed like the blink of an eye, they were on the silver elevator up to the top floor.

~*~

Remus landed heavily on a bed of mossy grass.

He groaned and stood, rubbing his aching backside, he scanned the area. It was actually quite attractive. Like the English countryside.

Eyeing what looked like a small town in the distance, he headed in that direction. 

"So the adventure begins." He smiled to himself, and headed towards town silhouetted in the setting sun.

~*~

Draco and Harry stood in the elevator they'd been pushed on. The buttons had pushed themselves and without words the elevator hurtled to the 225th floor.

"What do you think we'll have to do?" Harry commented.

"Maybe we'll have to chop off our own heads and eat flubberworms," Draco returned sarcastically. "How am I supposed to know?"

Harry rolled his eyes, so much for polite conversation.

The elevator dinged on the 112th floor.

"What the—I though we were going to the 225?" Draco said, he stood up straight from where he'd been leaning against the wall with his arms crossed.

"I think someone's getting on." Harry said.

When the silver doors slide open, two people were standing there.

"Well I don't think she –" It was Star…

"You." Draco said, and Star and Aster looked up.

"Fuc-" Star clamped a hand over her mouth and the two girls took of running in the other direction.

Harry raised an eyebrow, well that was interesting.

"You think they're all connected?" Draco asked, not really wanting an answer, it was frightening obvious.

"Not at all." Harry replied sarcastically, he was suddenly getting a really bad feeling.

When the elevator finally reached the top floor, when the doors opened, it was very dark.

"Hey, anybody in here?" Harry called to the darkness, no answer.

"Well this is brilliant." Draco muttered, glaring at the blackness.

Then… "Come here." A snakelike voice said and Draco and Harry exchanged glances.

"Ladies first." Draco said and shoved Harry forwards.

Not having time to think of a witty comeback, Harry gulped and stepping farther into the darkness.

"I won't hurt you--- at least not yet." The voice said. 

"How about some lights then?" Draco said.

"Are you afraid of the dark, boy?" The voice asked.

"Certainly not, I'm a Malfoy, Malfoys are not—"

The lights flickered on.

They were in what looked like some sort of a battledome you see on television.

There were stonewalls all around and at the far end was a silver throne, on which sat a figure they couldn't quite make out yet.

There were white lines drawn on the stone floor and a score board on the right wall, it read _Spade: 999 / Visitors: 0_

"Well, come on then." The figure said, motioning them over to the throne with a hand gesture. 

The voice had lost some of it's power when the lights had turned on… it was less menacing.

They approached the throne.

There was a female figure perched on the arm. She was wearing a black and green robe with the hood draped over her eyes just so you couldn't see her whole face. In her hand she held a silver staff with a green orb on the top. She looked like something out of a movie.

"Who are you?" Draco asked, pretending to not be intimidating or impressed.

"I? I am Spade Silver. The next task you must overcome before you make it any farther."

"You!" Harry accused, "Are the one who made it so we could read each others minds!"

"And you were in my house!!"

They could see Spade's smirk. "Yes, one of my brighter ideas, brilliant, no? and you Draco… perhaps I'll deal with you later… IF you can pass my task… "

"You---"

"Just tell us what to do, so we can be on our way." Draco said impatiently.

Spade stood up straight and motioned towards the scoreboard as if she hadn't heard him.

"No one who ever came here as defeated me, as you can see. 999 people ago I was a nobody, as my power grew, the greater I became…"

"Yes, yes, that's all nice and all but can we get on with this task already?"

Still Spade went on as if he hadn't interrupted, "I have dreamed of the day I destroyed my 1000th challenger… If I defeat you, my power will become much greater…"

Draco and Harry frowned, what was she on about?

"You." She pointed at Harry and instantly he felt as though his inside were entwining. "And you." She said and pointed at Draco who felt the same gut wrenching feeling. "Destroying you both will count at 1001, I have no desire for that." Harry panicked. What was that supposed to mean?

"So…" Spade said and waved her staff in a circle. "Will fight as one."

As the words left her mouth, realization spread into each boy. "What?" They said in unison as their bodies rocketed towards each other, colliding, they stood back to back , unable to move away from each other.

"How is this fair!?" Draco called.

"Fair? Two against one seems quite fair to me… besides… sssssnakes don't play fair." Spade smirked and throwing her cloak into the air, the lights flicked off and green fire lit up the room.

~*~

Sapphire was sitting in Remellus' throne, feet thrown over the side, head hanging off the other side.

She massaged her temples. 

Being the king's advisor was much like babysitting.

"You know, if you think the king is oblivious, you are not paying attention." A voice to the side said.

Sapphire sat up and glared.

"What are you still doing here, Winters? Shouldn't you be Tarot Reading for some peasants?"

"I'm offering you advice to heed, your plan will never work if you do not pay attention…"

"Whose side are you on anyway?" Sapphire said and stood up. 

"I am on no side," Diamond replied. "I look out for the best interests of this world…"

"You're a meddler," Sapphire said. "A confused, lowly maid who thinks her mystique and karma makes up for her shortcomings."

"Insulting one another will get us nowhere."

"Fine then, what do you think of this engagement?"

"I think that if the time is right, it may be the best thing that ever happened to this world."

"What are you on about?"

Diamond smiled and made her way to the door, before leaving she turned and faced her former friend, "You were right to make Remellus wait, because by then _he_ will be here… then things will get _really_ interesting."

~*~

Remus made his way through the people in the streets, looking for somewhere to ask for directions.

As he entered the streets, people seemed to panic, they dashed out of his way and bowed.

Remus frowned, what is this all about?

People continued to run from him and no one would look him in the eye.

"Your majesty!" Someone cried and Remus saw a short fat man running towards him. "We were not expecting you!"

Remus frowned and looked around, perhaps someone was behind him?

The fat short man hugged his leg. "Forgive us! We have nothing to give to you! Please spare my village!"

"Um… I think you have the wrong—" He was cut off by the man's sobs.

"FORGIVE US!" The town began to chant.

Remus stared around, something was very wrong with this town.

"HEY!" Remus called and immediately the town quietened.

"I think you have the wrong person, I'm not a king—"

"Nonsense! Remellus, oh God of our realm! Please honour us with your presence, come into our houses and eat our food, drink our wine! We may be small but we will cater to your ever whim! If you'd only let us!"

Remus sighed; these people were obviously dead bent on this crazy idea. 

"Alright then-" He said. "I-uh… me… the king, I want… to know about two travellers from the other dimension—"

There was a silent wave that spread through the town, strange looks from all around.

"They are—travelling towards the Snake Medallion." The man said. Looking up at him strangely.

"Oh yes… I remember now… and where is this Snake Medallion?" 

More strange looks.

"The Northeast… Lady Spade's domain…"

"Ah yes," Remus said. "Would you be so kind as to arrange transportation for me to Lady Spade's Domain?"

"Yes of course!" The man cried and giving a bunch of orders, Remus was soon on his way towards Spade's Domain of Sepentra… and towards Draco and Harry…

**_Reviewers of 2003-12-_**

**_HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY!!_**

Dragenphly 

Thanks so much! *glomp* HAPPY NEW YEAR!

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Thanks, I too don't like it much when authors jump right into the slash, I think it'd be better if I gave them grounds first, nee?

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DragonOfOlde 

Oh don't worry, Remus won't interfere. I'll tell you a secret though, in the next chapter… don't HATE ME! It's not temporary!

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Sorry, Sirius is lovey to Remus… .;  Well I've never actually meet such a nice homophobe before, I'm really happy there are nice people like you.

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	12. Spirit of the Snake

Chapter 12 --- De-spirited

**Did you know that reviews make me write? Well they do! SO REVIEW LOVERS!!**

CHAPTER TWELVE 

(Spirit of the Snake)

As the carriage hustled forward, Remus leaned his head out the window.

He only hoped that both boys were okay until he could get there…

…the problem was… what would he do when he got there?

()

"Ok, we don't have a choice in this so we are just going to have to work together." Harry said through the corner of his mouth.

Spade had disappeared into the green fire and they hadn't seen nor heard wind of her for several minutes… in the time she was giving them, Harry only hoped he could convince Draco to go along with this.

"If we die, I am blaming you." Draco muttered.

They were standing back to back and looking around the stone room.

"Fine, just follow my lead." Harry said.

"_Your_ lead, Potter? I don't think—"

A blast of green light, that reminded Harry of a certain killing spell, seared outward from a stone statue of a snake on the wall.

Each boy had tried to run a separate way and the result had both of them on the floor, the fire just nearly scorching the top of their heads.

"Yes! _My_ lead! We are both going to die if you don't co-operate."

"Why can't _you_ follow _my_ lead?" Draco whined as both boys stumbled to their feet, still connected.

"Fine!" Harry said exasperated. "You lead and if we die, I'm blaming you!"

Draco muttered something under his breath and then apparently changed his mind, "No, your lead."

Harry seethed, stupid Slytherins and their stupid—

"I can hear you." Draco said in a low voice.

"Sorry." Harry shrugged and they dodged another spark of green fire.

There was a loud clapping noise and Spade appeared at the other side of the room. "Boys, have you finished your bickering? I'm just getting started."

They didn't answer her.

She smirked, "Excellent."

She raised her hand and snapped her fingers, the green fire that was lighting the room flickered momentarily and then misty outlines of green snakes approached them from all sides.

"Great, just great." Harry cursed and anxiously moved towards the middle of the room.

"Why don't you use that tongue of yours and tell them to bugger off?" Draco suggested.

"I don't think they'd listen." Harry said and they switched spots in the middle. Harry facing the left side of the room with Draco facing the right.

"You speak to snakes do you?" Spade said and they could see her looking amused through the mist. "So do I. But I assure you, they'd not heed your words…" One of the snakes hissed and a stream of green fire shot past the two boys. "Oh!" Spade said. "I almost forgot to tell you, the snakes breathe fire… charming, no?"

"Oh very." Draco said without looking at her and he pushed himself and Harry out of the way of another blast of steaming green.

_Malfoy,_ Harry said in his head. _Do you have your wand?_

_Yes, of course I have my wand, what do you think I am? A—_

_Shut up and listen, when I say, bring it out and cast any spell you can think of. There's a good chance none of them will work… but have to do something—_

_Fine, but I want to say when._

Harry nearly punched the blonde. _FINE! Just do it!_

_Ok, touchy, touchy, …_the snakes were coming closer_……. NOW!_

They both reached for their wands and sent a series of spells at the snakes.

The sudden moments alarmed the snakes and soon both boys were dodging fire from all sides.

The only spell that seemed to work was Lumos.

"Lumos!" Harry yelled and a stream of white light shot from his wand and into a snake, the snake disappeared.

"That's the one!" Harry said excitedly. "Draco! It's Lumos!"

"Great! …wait, did you just call me—"

A shot of scorching emerald shot past him, interrupting his query.

He sent white light at the serpent, and it instantly disappeared.

This new revolution wasn't without payment, the white light seemed to send the snakes into a frenzy and they attacked with even more fury.

Harry and Draco were unable to move away from each other and that handicapped them to a certain degree.

It was hard to dodge the green fire when you had to worry about the person behind you and you were unable to make certain moves.

"This isn't working!" Harry cried, "They just keep coming from those stupid statues!"

Draco looked around and noticed that Harry was indeed correct, the snakes kept renewing themselves… this was not working.

It only took Draco a moment to realize what they had to do.

"The statues! Aim for the statues!" Draco called and Harry changed his wand's target.

They continued to dodge the snakes' fire and sent their spells toward the gray stone statues.

Once the white light had hit the snake statues the eyes would light up green and the flow of snakes from that statue would stop.

They made their way through one entire side, hitting the snakes that were closest to stop their fire before it was sent and then taking the moment of not dodging to hit a statue.

They were doing pretty well until. "Arg!" Draco cried and Harry tried to see over his shoulder.

Draco had caught fire.

Draco had stomped it out quickly, "Dammit, these were my good robes!" He said and there was a loud ding noise.

All the green snake's eyes died out and continued their flow of green misty serpents.

"What the hell!" Draco cried. "Do we have a time limit!?"

Spade's voice echoed from somewhere they couldn't see, "Yes, that and you got hit."

Harry frowned, so they had a certain amount of time to get all the statues before they turned back on and they had to do it without getting hit?

"Hey! Stop your musings and spell!" Draco yelled and him and nudged him with his shoulder, Harry shook the thoughts from his mind and did just that.

"Look," Harry said in between cursing at the serpents. "I have an idea."

"Great, because I'm all out." Draco said and then killed another snake.

"We're not going to be able to get all the statues in time, so let's try this: You curse all the snakes in the way of one statue and when it's clear we switch places, I'll get the statue and you curse all the snakes of the next statue, then we switch again. It'll go faster when we don't have to worry about who's cursing which."

Draco thought about this, "Ok, but I want to curse the statues."

Harry clenched his fists and said through his teeth, "FINE."

"Ok then, let's go."

()

Sirius was absolutely beaming; he'd just been to play Quidditch in the town with the same name. He hadn't played in so long and it was a welcome familiar.

He was looking out at the oddly colored sky when he noticed a strange orange light in the far off distance.

"Hey," He said and tapped the driver of the carriage on the shoulder. "What's that?"

The driver looked over and saw the light as well, "Oh that? That's Lady Spade's domain. It looks like she's entertaining some guests at the moment."

Sirius frowned, "Aren't we going to go see her town?"

The driver shook his head. "I'm sorry but the King gave me strict orders not to visit Winters' domain."

"Why?" Sirius asked.

The driver shrugged. "Apparently there's a big secret going around that the king doesn't want you to get involved in."

Sirius sat back into his chair again. "A secret, hm?"

()

After two failed attempts, much cursing and near hurting a certain pompous prick, Harry and Draco had finally managed to turn off all the snake statues in time and without getting hit by passing fire.

There was a sound like a chime and Harry sighed in relief. They wouldn't have to do it over again.

"Well, took you long enough." Spade scoffed, stepping back into the arena.

"I'd like to see you in that position!" Draco said defensively.

Spade raised an eyebrow and sent a ray of light into the centre of the arena. There was a mirror and the light bounced off the mirror and into each of the statues.

Harry almost yelled in frustration. How were they to know it could have been that easy?

"So," Spade said and examined her nails, "Are you ready then?"

Harry was nearly trembling with anticipation. "Come on." He said and Spade grinned.

She drew her own wand and her eyes flashed green fire.

For a second she looked as though she could have been a snake herself and then she charged at them.

Harry moved to the side, forcing Draco to do the same.

"What are you doing? Hex her!" Draco cried.

Harry frowned, keeping his eyes trained on Spade and trying to concentrate. "Are you forgetting that nothing seems to work except Lumos?" Harry said.

Spade lunged at them again and again Harry pushed himself and Draco out of the way.

"Try it!" Draco said, trying to see over his shoulder at the snake-lady.

"Lumos!" Harry sent a light ray at her but it only bounced off her robes.

"Did you really think that would work?" Spade asked.

"No." Harry admitted and they stared at each other.

They walked in a circle, surveying the enemy… Draco was like a tag-along trying to fall into step with Harry but finding it hard since he couldn't even see where Spade was.

"Are there any spells that work against you?" Harry asked.

Something in the Boy-Who-Lived had changed. His voice was much more mature and there was a glint in his eye that was thrilled at the situation.

"Oh, I'm sure there are some." Spade said with a smile. She looked to be enjoying herself as well.

Spade said something in snake and pointed her wand at the duo.

Draco felt himself being pulled along again as they were thrown to the side.

There was a spray of rubble and rock. Harry held his arm up to shield himself from any damage and when the rock smoke had cleared, they went back to studying each other.

"What the hell?" Draco said as he was pulled up and along. "Why aren't you doing anything?" He hissed.

"I'm thinking." Harry said, never taking his eyes off Spade.

"About what? Just bloody curse her!"

Harry seemed to maul something over in his head and then seemed to decide.

He pointed his wand at Spade and she didn't even flinch, she looked vaguely amused. She knew that a boy of his age couldn't possibly be experienced in the type of spells that had an affect on her—

"Expecto Patronum."  …… Spade was wrong.

The spell sent her flying backward and she hit a wall hard.

She let out an undignified shriek and hadn't guarded herself properly.

Draco moved Harry over so he could see.

"So," Spade said dragged herself to her feet. "Perhaps you aren't as green as I thought you to be."

Harry only smirked.

Draco was panicking inside. He couldn't do that! What could he do? He was helpless! He was going to have to let bloody Harry Potter save him….

()

Remus could see an orange light penetrating the clouds in the distance.

They were getting ever closer to Spade's domain.

"Excuse me?" He said, tapping the driver on the shoulder. "I'm in a hurry, do you mind?"

The driver seemed to panic and he immediately quickened the pace.

The ride became much bumpier but the horizon was coming up a lot faster.

After what seemed like a terribly long time, Remus finally came to the gates of Spade's City.

He thanked the driver (who was surprised at this and turned red and flustered) and made his way inside.

People all around instantly backed out of his way and kept their heads down.

This made Remus uneasy but determined as he was to find Harry and Draco, he continued forward with fake confidence.

When he got to the main building, two women were immediately at his side.

"Your Highness! Lady Spade is not expecting you! She is 'taking care' of your errand as we speak!"

Remus frowned, what errand? Something to do with the two boys, most likely.

"I need to see her, immediately." Remus said and did his best to look menacing.

He must have looked convincing because the girls scrambled to do his wishes.

"We'll tell her at once!" One girl cried and they ran down a hall.

Remus nervously stood in his place and waited.

Hopefully he could keep up his façade until both boys were safe.

()

Draco was bleeding… not bad, but bleeding.

After a frenzy of exchanged spells, much dodging, and disgruntled groans, Spade had managed a hit.

Harry was good at dodging but Draco was a little slower.

"Are you okay?" Harry asked, keeping his head low behind a pile of debris.

"No," Draco stated haughtily. "My robes are utterly _ruined_."

Harry rolled his eyes, "This isn't the time, Malfoy."

Draco just glared at him.

"Come on now, not scared are we?" They could hear Spade's voice around the room. "Hiding like rats in a hole?"

Harry was about to jump up and show her just who the rat was, but Draco stubbornly wouldn't move and since they were stuck together, this was not a good thing.

"Malfoy!" He hissed quietly, fixing the blonde with a menacing glare.

"Listen Potter, you two have been swapping spells for an hour now! This isn't getting us anywhere!"

"Eventually I'll get her and then—"

"That's not good enough! We need to think of something else."

Harry knew he was right and hunched back down.

"Now listen," Draco said. He was sick of being helpless. "I have a plan."

()

The girls were back in a hurray.

"Your Majesty! We're sorry, but Lady Spade has disenabled her intercom, we are going to have to go up to her room."

Remus nodded hurriedly, "Fine, fine, let's hurray."

The girls were eager to oblige and they led him through the hall.

()

"Ok, you loud-mouthed hag," Draco said and he stood (with Harry) to face Spade.

"Oh?" Spade said and she looked disappointed. "You now?

This irked Draco, "Yes me! I can spell just as well as Potter can!"

Spade didn't look convinced.

"Besides!" Draco continued angrily. "I'm going to make you pay for that shot at my robes!"

Spade sighed, "Whatever Blondie."

Draco sent her his most menacing Malfoy-glare and stepped forward.

"You do know that you'll have to hit my brooch to win, right?" Spade said lazily. "You have four minutes."

Draco winced, "What!?"

Harry sighed, "Weren't you paying attention before?"

"Shut up back there!" Draco said and stepped toward Spade again.

Draco sent some random spells in Spade's direction but she either blocked or dodged them all.

_Hurry up, Malfoy, three minutes!_ Harry said in his head.

_I know!_ Draco returned and he switched his position on the floor.

Spade looked confused at him as he made his way around several piles of rubble.

"What _are_ you doing?" She asked.

Draco ignored her and continued searching for something.

"Aha," He said quietly and nudged Harry to let him know he had found what he was looking for.

Spade looked extremely bored, "Look, no offense but can I fight the four-eyes now? He was more fun."

Draco was about to sputter protests at her but Harry shoved him from behind. _Come on!_

Draco nodded and sent a load more of useless spells against her.

Harry was concentrating on watching Spade's reflection on the floor mirror.

_More to the right. _Harry thought and Draco moved as to manipulate Spade into the position.

_Up a little more._ Harry thought and again Draco did just that.

A chime sounded somewhere. "Thirty seconds." Spade said and she looked letdown. She wouldn't get to fight Harry again.

"Perfect!" Harry said under his breath. "Malfoy, keep her there."

Draco said and Harry lined up his wand.

Then,  "Expecto Patronum!"

The spell bounced off the mirror and hit Spade directly in the chest where her snake brooch was located.

She gasped loudly and stumbled backwards.

Almost instantly, Draco and Harry sprang apart.

"Yes!"

Spade fell against a wall and seemed to be shaking.

"Hey," Harry said and stepped toward her, "Are you okay?"

Spade smirked. "Oh just fine. Here's your prize."

She threw the medallion at Harry and he caught it.

"Clever," She said and shakily got to her feet. "Very clever."

"Thank you," Draco said and adjusted his robes. "I am, aren't I?"

Spade seemed to be mauling something over in her head and then she smiled.

"Before you go…" She aimed her wand at Draco.

Harry felt his stomach drop and his eyes widened.

But he couldn't do anything in time.

"DISCREDO PHASMA!"

 A bolt of white light shot into Draco and the Slytherin fell to the floor.

"YOU CHEATER!" Harry roared and Spade only smirked.

Harry quickly debated weather to go to Draco or attack the cheating snake.

He was at Draco's side in an instant. "Malfoy! Malfoy!"

Draco was cold, his face was pale and he wasn't breathing.

"WHAT DID YOU DO!?" Harry screamed and holding the blonde in his arms, turned to Spade.

Spade wiped a streak of blood from her upper eye and didn't answer.

She watched the whole exchange with much amusement.

"Draco—" Harry said and pressed his hand to Draco's cheek. "Come on, you coward! Open your eyes! Malfoy!"

Harry didn't know why but the thought of losing Draco was unbearable. They'd already come so far, he couldn't die! He felt much the same way he did when Sirius had fallen through the veil… but there was a difference… this time was--

There was a loud bang and the doors to the room opened.

"Lady Winters! Forgive us, but the king—"

"Harry!" Remus cried and was quickly at Harry's side.

"Lupin! Draco… he's…. he's…. you have to do something!"

Spade was standing and she was watching Remus very carefully.

"What happened?" Remus asked trying to feel for Draco's pulse.

"HER!" Harry cried and pointed at Spade.

He was on his feet and ready to fit but Remus grabbed his arm.

The memory of Remus holding him back when he wanted to save Sirius from Bellatrix's spell came back and before he knew what he was doing, he had punched Remus in the face.

Remus stumbled away but didn't look offended.

Harry realized what he had done and he felt tears prick his eyes. "Lupin—I'm sorry… I just—I can't… I thought… I didn't mean…"

Remus only nodded and pulled him into a tight hug.

Harry was choking sobs and he was vaguely aware that there were other people in the room. He didn't care.

"What did you do to him?" Remus said angrily, looking up at Spade.

Spade didn't show any sign of emotion and she said, "Who are you?"

Remus blinked and then realized that it was a perfectly liable question.

"Lady!" One of the girls cried. "The king—"

"That's not the King." Spade said and fixed Remus was a deadly stare.

Remus felt threatened and he nudged Harry. "Harry… let's go…"

He kept his eyes on Spade in case she tried something and at Harry's choked words, Remus picked up Draco's lifeless body and they made their way to the door.

When Remus and Harry had gone, taking Draco's cadaver with them, Spade looked over at her two servants, "Get Romulus over the communicator… I need to speak with him."

**COME ON! Hit me with your best shot! I know you all hate me**! …but if you think about it… they haven't even KISSED yet… so----

REVIEWERS IF CHAPTER ELEVEN

dances I love you all!! Review, Review! Or I will bite you! (rhymes, )

**athena321**

Hee, thanks for the beg! I'm honored that you don't usually do it. Yeah, I'm dragging out the relationship but I don't want to make it go ungrounded, you know? I like to play with their emotions first.

Noriko M. Chijinu 

Aw! But you did review, Darling! Just not 'signed in'. But I have two from you now and it makes me special! Here's your update, just for you. Because you are special too! –o.o-

Naomi Maxwell 

I'm sorry if I made you cry! hug hopefully this is good… ok, maybe not 'good' because I have a huge angst-cliffie… but… yeah, well, you get the idea!

Lunaris 

blushes well I'm glad you are reading my story and I'm glad you put up with me even if I'm a little corny, but I'm just a fangirl with 'needs' if ya know what I mean. Yes, Spade was in the Manor… she's a sneaky git…    Hopefully I'll get to be better in my writing style! .

**driven to insanity**

Thanks so much for reviewing!  you are one of the few who actually use 'please' v

**godric1**

yeah, I have Yahoo… miserymyst

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Here's some more soup for you!

FallenAngel664 

Thanks so much! I love the ego boosts! I'm gonna get a big head like James Potter O.O

Enemy of the Lone One 

Hee, you're so cute! Thank you for the brownies! I love brownies . and cookies… drool don't tell anyone, that's my weakness! O.O!

Nott 

HA! I loved your last review. It made me laugh, I've been reviewing at 2-o-clock a couple times too… I know exactly how you feel! -v. .

**moonlit kitten**

Ah, such a compliment. Don't die though! My story loves you! And I do too! 0.0!!

**loopy chick**

I'm sorry you're getting impatient! But please wait a while longer! As soon as… um… well I don't wanna give away anything… but you have to admit, people don't cry over people they don't like—Thank you for your compliment and review!

**Dragenphly**

Wow! I love you! You're so supportive. Thanks so much for your kind words and insight!

Phayze 

Thanks so much! Your words are what keep me writing after all! Keep those reviews coming!! …please? .

TwistedHeart 

ooh! You asked the 'special' question! Stay tuned to find out the answer! I guess I kind 'video-gamed' my plot, but it seems to be working out well for me. v glomp

**slytherin seeker**

Thank you so very much! It's not every day I'm called 'the best' hug

**Fireblade K'Chona**

Hee, how about more story AND pie? You are awesome! So glad you like my story!

Silver Dragonrider 

Still with me? GREAT! glomp does a dance "You make me happy when skies are grey!!"

**ddz008**

Thank you lots for reviews and words! You have the same birthday as my sister o.o… weird… You'll never be too old for a little slashyness! You make me happy too!


	13. Of Disconnection

A/N: I know, don't tell me. You hate my guts. I was seriously considering discontinuation since the sixth book came out… however it appears people are still interested. So consider this a present from me. All my love, J.J.

Chapter 13

Spades and Diamonds

"Harry we can't—"

"We're not going to just _leave_ him!"

Remus sighed and quickly tried to form the right words to tell Harry that carrying around a body wasn't the best ideas. It would leave the poor blonde boy more dignity to be buried.

"I can't… can't just leave him here…" Harry mumbled and Remus stared curiously at him.

Remus considered this and came to the conclusion Lucius Malfoy would not be happy if they didn't at least bring his son's body back.

"Let's get him to a town or something." Harry said. There was a look in his eye that Remus couldn't quite place at the moment.

"All right." Remus agreed. It was the least he could do at the moment for his distraught young companion.

It was nearly sunrise when Remus and Harry finally began to see the outskirts of a city. It was beginnign to get very hot when they at last reached it.

Entering the city, people stopped in the streets to stare at them. Harry became defensive and made sure that no one could see Draco's face. Remus was more concerned with finding a roof over their heads.

"It's the king…" They whispered and backed away when he approached.

"We need somewhere to stay." Remus said loudly and looked around to all the people. They avoided his eyes and looked to each other.

Remus could see that this was going to be harder than he thought.

Then there was a figure pushing its way through the crowd.

"Hey! Move aside, coming through. Excuse me!" A woman with a shielded face came forth and made eyecontact with Remus. "Come with me," She said. Harry and Remus followed her through the crowd.

The whole way she cursed at the people. "You were raised to take care of strangers, ya? Weren't those your orders from Lady Diamond herself? Not even for your own bloody king, eh? Why don't you all go back to your business then! Stop starin'!"

They entered a hut just outside of the tower with a curtained door.

"Look," Remus said quietly. "I feel I must tell you… but I'm not the king."

Even though her face was shrouded, they could hear her smile. "I know. And to tell you the truth I wouldn't have invited you in if you were."

Remus frowned, "But you just told those people—"

"I know what I said, man. Shake 'em up a bit, you know?"

Remus nodded his head, even if he wasn't exactly sure what she was meaning.

"Well I guess I'll be takin' you up the tower. Take care o' your friend there." She motioned toward Draco.

Harry didn't say anything or move except perhaps sink farther into depression.

Remus was quite shocked to realize Harry had the same expression Remus himself had had when Sirius had fallen.

Could Harry possibly be—

"Well you comin' or what?" The woman said, pulling the curtain door aside.

Remus hesitated to speak, "Um… I'm not sure you see… I don't think there's anything we can do…"

The woman stared at them. "You really are from somewhere else, aren't you? He ain't dead." And she left the hut.

Harry's head snapped up. "What? What do you mean he's not dead?"

"Are you comin' or what?" The woman called.

Remus and Harry hurried after her.

They approached the castle and the guards admitted them.

"What is your business?"

"Lady Diamond needs to heal this boy." The woman said and the guard looked at Draco.

"Alright then." And he moved aside.

The three of them and the lifeless Draco were upstairs in no time and positioned around a table with Draco lying in the center.

"Are you sure this Diamond knows what she's doing? We've checked his breathing… and pulse… there's none…"

The woman froze for a moment, then she pulled back her hood and removed her shawl. "You doubt my skills? Just as well, I suppose we've never met. I am Diamond Winters, Lady of this tower."

Remus and Harry weren't sure how to react, should they be happy? Shocked? Why didn't they feel more surprised.

"The fact is, your friend has been seperated from his body, nothing more. When we retrieve his soul and return it to his body, he'll awake as if from a dream. Complicated for an inexperienced one perhaps. But this is nothing I haven't dealt with before…"

"Oh thank God." Harry breathed, it felt like he had finally taken a breath. "I thought she'd killed him…"

"Spade? It's her favorite trick. They always bring the bodys to me to counter her spell."

With Harry's spirits throughly lifted, Remus felt himself more cheerful as well.

"What? Spade didn't stop them? What is this?" Sapphire kicked at the throne, causing the King to yelp.

Sapphire growled angrily into her hands. She threw her hair back behind her shoulder and clenched her fists.

"What are we going to do?"

"Well isn't there three more medallions?" Lupis asked quietly.

Sapphire suffered in silence for a moment before swallowing her rage and saying, "Don't you read up on your own kingdom? The Dragon and Phoenix medallions are in this castle so really they only need one. And I wouldn't be surprised if Diamond just GAVE it to them!"

Remellus recolied and shuffled some dust with his satin slipper. "Well they still need the Dragon and Phoenix, don't they?"

"They need four to enter since the other two tower keepers died and the medallions were entrusted to _us! _Unless of course you've forgotten!"

Lupis frowned. "Oh! You mean that ugly stone thing they gave me with the bird on it?"

"The very same. Clearly, they'll need to travel here to get them. Which really defeats the purpose of having them!"

"Why didn't someone get new tower keepers?"

"You were supposed to!"

Lupis frowned. "Oh really? I must have been really busy then."

Sapphire raked her mind for something she could use… then it came to her…

"Your Majestry, listen. I know you're not too concerned at the moment but consider this… if they get here… they'll ruin your wedding."

Remellus puffed up. "They'll what? Double your efforts to stop them at once!"

Diamond spoke quickly and purposely in a language beyond both Remus and Harry. Then colors of all sorts flashed throughout the room. There was a great wind and the breath of knocked out of them.

When everything died away, Harry could see straight again, he looked down at the table.

"---the hell?"

"Draco! You're okay!"

"Yes, no thanks to you I'm sure. What the hell happened?"

"Your soul was temporarily seperated from your body. It'll be a moment still before you'll be able stand."

Remus paid particular attention to the way Harry's whole world seemed to have suddenly lit up again.


End file.
